It All Started At Shiz
by Annibelle White
Summary: Bookverse. Elphaba and Fiyero start off disliking each other a bit. When it seems that romance is coming their way, Elphaba is asked to meet the Wizard. When she finds out he's not so wonderful, she's not quite sure what to do anymore. Pairing: Fiyeraba
1. Elphaba's New Hell

**Chapter One: Elphaba's New Hell**

Irritation had practically consumed her. For Oz's sake, she was trying to learn! But learning was impossible when that damned new professor could only mumble softly and Avaric wouldn't shut up. Why had Boq insisted on sitting next to Avaric and that new boy? Better yet, why had she followed?

She sent a piercing glare in the direction of Avaric and that stupid Winkie prince. Okay, he was from the Vinkus; Elphaba didn't allow herself to be anything but politically correct. But he was still stupid, especially if he was hanging with Avaric. Hissing, she spat harshly, "Would you two stop talking already? No one cares about the sex life you plan to have, Avaric." Her eyes gave a cursory glance over the new boy, ignoring the slightly interesting diamond markings. "Well, maybe this idiot does, but the rest of us come to class because we plan on acquiring knowledge, and not about your disgusting habits."

"Look who's talking about disgusting." Avaric snapped. "At least I can wear more than three colors without making someone want to throw up!"

The new boy nodded, no supply of words in his brain, an almost impulsive reaction.

Elphaba smirked and narrowed her eyes at the dark boy. "I wouldn't be agreeing with him. You should've heard his comments about _your_ looks the first day you walked into class." With that, she went back to her notebook, bracing herself to ignore the responses she would no doubt get from one or both of them.

They didn't have time to reply, however, for the new teacher raised his voice, something no one realized he was capable of. "I'm assigning a project that will last the semester; it's to be worked on in pairs. Since there's an odd number of people in class, would anyone like to volunteer to work alone?"

Elphaba's hand shot up. _Thank Oz_, she thought. No one but Boq would even put up with her, anyway, so it'd be easier just to work on her own.

The professor nodded, made note of it on his clipboard and continued. "I will be assigning each pair a topic. There will be a twenty-page paper, a presentation – including pictures – and various checkpoints along the way. I'll be going through the class list randomly to decide who will be working with who, as I don't quite trust you to be wise enough to choose your own partners." He gazed at the class list a moment, "Master Boq and… Miss Milla, you will be working on the Ozian solar system."

Boq shrugged and looked around for his partner. He recognized her as a girl who had been on the outer parts of Glinda's social circle. This cheered him instantly and he began doodling as the professor made his way through the class.

"…And last but not least, Miss Elphaba, since you have graciously offered to work solo…"

"Wait!" Avaric stood. "I guess since he's new you forgot to add him to the class list. My buddy, Fiyero, here doesn't have a partner."

Elphaba bit her lip, took a deep breath and begged the professor with her eyes not to force her to work with some insolent imbecile – which is what this boy must be, if he was "buddies" with Avaric. Unfortunately, her silent pleas were ignored.

"Miss Elphaba, it was kind of you to offer to work by yourself, but it seems you won't have to. You and Master Fiyero can work on the several biological reproduction techniques."

Before Elphaba could protest, Avaric once again spoke up, "But why should she be working on reproduction when it'll never come in handy for her?"

Elphaba growled in her throat and closed her eyes, trying to keep her calm as small strains of laughter echoed around the room.

"If you'd like, Master Avaric, she can switch places with your partner, Master Crope, and work on the cellular make-up of fish with you."

Avaric backed off and slumped down in his chair, clapping Fiyero on the back, "Have fun, man."

"The class is less than halfway over, I'm giving you this time to meet with your partners and work out some sort of schedule or planning time. Get to work." With that, the owl-faced professor dropped his arms and left the students to their talking.

Boq shoved Elphaba out of her seat. "Come on, Miss Elphie, go find Fiyero, we're supposed to start working." He was gone and chatting with Milla, who didn't look the least bit happy about the partnership, in a flash.

Elphaba didn't move. She was seething at her misfortune. Well, it was just her luck, wasn't it? After a moment, she moved to get up and reluctantly headed for the Vinkus boy. However, he was headed for her at the same moment, and as she turned she realized he was right in front of her and caught herself from walking into him. In the process, though, she'd pulled back her foot, which had unfortunately missed the stair beneath her and she felt herself falling towards the ground. _Great. Another reason for people to laugh at me._ She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the impact.

Her body hit nothing, except someone had grabbed her wrist. Opening her eyes as she used this unprecedented grip to regain her balance, she realized the Vinkus boy had been somewhat gentlemanly and helped her. It must've been a subconscious thing, of course. If one sees someone else falling, one tries to stop that someone from hitting the ground, even if that someone happens to be a green skinned freak. The boy dropped her wrist quickly after she'd gotten all her wits about her, looking her over.

"Thanks," she muttered, half on reflex. "Well, I see that you, unlike Avaric, aren't so _disgusted_ by me that you think touching me will infect you with some deadly virus."

"I wasn't going to let you fall." He answered, staring at the floor. "That would be more than rude."

"Well, you've already been more than rude to me, haven't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't say anything, but nodding when Avaric insults me isn't necessarily nice, is it?"

"Look, let's just get to work. When and where should we work?"

"I don't know. Girls aren't allowed in the Three Queens library, and that's the only library that's remotely useful. You'll have to figure out what books to get and then we'll have to work somewhere else."

Fiyero nodded. "But where and when?"

"You need time to get to the library, and Oz only knows how long that'll take you, what with your busy social life hanging with Avaric, so we should start working in a week or so. I don't know where." Elphaba threw in insults along with the mandatory statements and did not at all expect him to even realize he was being poked fun at; most boys were too thick.

"I could get to the library whenever I need to, even today." He retorted.

She raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure."

"You're judging me."

"How?"

"You think I'm an idiot and a jerk just because I associate with Avaric." He accused.

"It's better than thinking someone's a freak because they have a different skin color." She reminded him, stepping up a stair so her face was inches from his, though slightly lower.

He blinked, looked at his own skin, as if her comments had only just jogged his memory that he was different, as well. Quietly, he asked, "What did he say?"

Startled that she wasn't being shoved or laughed at, she stared up at him, "Huh?"

"Avaric. What did he say about me the first day I walked into class?" His sapphire eyes implored her.

For a moment, she was stunned by the depth behind the dark shades of blue in his eyes, but she shook her head, realizing herself suddenly. "What does it matter now?"

Fiyero shrugged. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Then I'm not going to bother telling you." Elphaba swallowed. "Where and when will we work, once you've gotten the books?" This had to be strictly work, nothing more, even if she enjoyed shooting insults at this boy, she'd rather shoot them directly at Avaric.

"There're study rooms; we can sign up for times, I guess."

The last thing she wanted was to work with this boy in a secluded area alone. Damn the sexist Crage Hall board for not allowing girls in the library! What had been the reason, again? They'd said it would be promoting premarital relations, or something. Right. And allowing a girl and a boy to sit by themselves in a room without anyone else didn't? She sighed, "Fine. When do you want to start working?"

"Well, it's going to be a huge project, so we might as well get working soon. As I said, I can get to the library today. Do you have classes tomorrow in the morning or afternoon?"

"Morning."

"Good. We'll work in the afternoon."

Elphaba looked surprised. "Really? A boy like you has no plans with a free Friday afternoon?"

Taking a step away from her, finally, he said, "I do. But not until late afternoon."

"Lucky me." Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Avaric and Crope walked up to them, then, followed by Tibbett, who had already ditched his partner. "Fiyero, are you up for lunch at the café with a couple of people I know?" Avaric asked. "I've introduced you to some of them, like that Munchkin boy, Boq, and this one, here, who tags along because her roomie is part of the group, but you haven't met a few of the girls. Interested?"

"Right after class?" Fiyero turned and gazed at the clock. "Sure. But I've got to get to the library some time this afternoon."

"See you there." Avaric wandered back down the steps, taking a look back at Elphaba, "and you, too, unfortunately."

Fiyero shook his head and looked at Elphaba. "What sort of bitchy thing did you do?"

"Me?" Elphaba looked at him, confused.

"He has to have a reason for hating you."

"Oh, yeah. I'm green. That's what I did." She snorted.

The bell rang, but Fiyero didn't immediately walk away. "I never realized people judged people that much."

She stared. Was there something more to this boy than she thought? "And what happy little place were you raised?"

"I was raised in a Palace."

"Which is why you're so sheltered. Well, where you were raised is heaven compared to the outside world." Elphaba stuck out her hand for him to shake. "So, tomorrow afternoon?"

He instinctively took her hand. "If home was heaven, where…?"

Elphaba cut him off, shaking his hand roughly. Before she walked down the stairs she looked into his eyes, grinned tauntingly and said, "Welcome, foolish boy, to hell."


	2. A New Philosophy

**Chapter Two: A New Philosophy**

The next day, Elphaba came back from early classes and emptied her bag of the books she'd used for the previous class. Irritably, she shoved her Life Sciences book into her bag, some writing utensils and a lot of extra paper. Before she could leave again, Glinda looked away from the window, which she'd been staring out constantly ever since she'd gotten to thinking more, and said, "Where're you going, Elphie?"

Elphaba looked at Glinda, almost missing the vain part of her. It was easier to make fun of her when she was stupidly cruel. She answered, "I have to go meet my partner and work on a Life Sciences project."

Glinda seemed thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, yes. Milla told me about it. She said to tell you she'd be happy to switch partners if you'd like to work with Boq instead. Just let her know through me."

Elphaba wondered if Glinda realized the offense Milla had made. "If she really wanted to switch partners, Glinda, she could risk herself for two seconds and be seen talking to me." After all, she thought, Boq would kill her. Not to mention that Milla wasn't giving Boq half of a chance. Milla had a thing for Avaric, of course she'd want to work with one of his friends, anyway. But Boq was, in some ways, Avaric's friend. However, she wasn't going to settle for that, it seemed. Well, too bad, because now she'd have to.

"Who did you say your partner was?"

"I didn't say who my partner was. I'm stuck with that new boy, the one from the Vinkus… the one that happens to have quickly made friends with Avaric." Elphaba sneered.

Glinda sighed pensively. "Does he have a name? It would be rude not to call him by a name, Elphie."

"I don't care if I'm rude to him or not! Anyway, his name is Fiyero."

"The one who came to the café yesterday? I don't see why you dislike him so much already; he seemed nice enough."

"But he's friends with Avaric!" Elphaba protested.

"That's not the only thing that matters about a person, Elphie. I would think you, of all people, would be more open-minded than that. Did you ever think that maybe Avaric was the first person to talk to him when he came here, so he just befriended him because of that? Honestly, Elphie, give a person a chance!" Glinda huffed, folding her arms across her chest and shaking her head with blatant disappointment.

Elphaba didn't allow herself to be momentarily stunned by the blonde's thoughts; she simply left the room. She could consider what Glinda had said as she walked, but she didn't need to let Glinda know. For once the girl really had a point. Often times Glinda had seemed goodly and wise, but she had never outdone Elphaba and shown her up, so to speak, the way she just had. It was true, as much as the green girl hated to admit it, it was very true. Elphaba felt stupid and almost as ignorant as Avaric. But still, anyone who had known him that long and not decided he was an unworthy jackass could not be good news.

Reaching the building in which the study rooms were located, Elphaba yanked the door open and stomped in, not sure if she was angry about having to do the project or angry because she knew Glinda had a point. She made her way up to the second floor and searched for Fiyero - not that he was hard to miss. He stood out just as much as she did. Well, she smiled wickedly; they had something in common after all.

"Elphaba?" He tapped her on the shoulder.

She whirled around in alarm, her dark hair falling into her face. This was why she normally braided it. Elphaba quickly regained composure and fiddled with the rubber band on her wrist, tying her hair back into a half-bun hurriedly. "Sorry, I didn't see you."

"That would be half my fault, actually. I tend to try not to be too noticeable. Since starting here I've tended to spend more time in the shadows." He replied.

"Me, too." She tried a half smile, meant to comfort, but she knew it didn't come out quite right, so she looked down.

"Um, we're in here." He gestured to a room a few yards down the hall and opened the door for her.

No one had ever been that polite towards her. She almost didn't walk in, too confused for words. But nothing ever threw her off for too long, and she stepped into the room with a short, "Thanks."

He nodded and they sat down. "So," he said, for lack of anything better.

She looked around the small room, noticing that he had indeed made good on his promise to get to the library. There were five very thick, heavy books. Two were open on the table and three were tossed in the corner. For a moment she wondered how he'd gotten them all here in one trip. Examining him, she decided he might've been strong enough – he seemed somewhat muscular, but not disgustingly so – but she wondered if it must've been hard to balance all five books in his arms. Had he been able to see over them? Realizing he was looking at her and waiting for her to say something, she said, "Let's get started, then."

"Yes, let's. But today we can't work for too long. Avaric wanted to have an early dinner so we can head out to the… I forget the name… oh! The Philosophy Club."

Elphaba coughed and raised her eyebrows at him. "What?"

"The Philosophy Club. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sweet Oz. The poor, innocent boy didn't know what the Philosophy Club was, did he? One look at his confused navy eyes told her he had no idea what he was getting into. Why did she have to be the one to tell him? Well, she didn't exactly have to tell him. But she couldn't let him go without letting him know what he was getting into. It's not like she cared. But Avaric was trying to lead an unknowing boy into Oz only knew what! She couldn't let that happen. "Did Avaric happen to mention what the Philosophy Club is?"

"Sort of. He said it's a club where people go to have a good time." Fiyero cocked his head at her. "Am I missing something?"

"Yes, my dear boy, you are _really_ missing something." Elphaba sighed.

"Avaric hasn't been telling me a lot of things. Why am I not surprised?"

"Why do you hang out with him, then?"

"Because the rest of his little crowd seemed okay. I like Boq. Crope and Tibbett are, well, friendly, if not a bit over-friendly, and everyone else is nice enough."

"Including me?"

"Well, you don't seem to be that nice to me, at times, but I realize Avaric can have that effect on how people look at people. Well, at least I realize it _now_."

"And you don't mind hanging around in a group with the Munchkin boy, the drag queens and the green skinned freak?"

"I don't look exactly normal myself, Elphaba." He held up his hands. "And, despite what Avaric says, your skin isn't disgusting."

"Thanks, I think." She buried her face in her hands for a moment. Damn Glinda! The blonde had been right. Now she felt awful.

"So, would you mind telling me what the Philosophy Club is, exactly, so I know what I'm getting into? Or, depending on what you tell me, possibly not getting into?"

"Well," Elphaba said sardonically, "it actually could be a help to the project. Human reproduction and all. Not that anything they do there is actually meant to reproduce so much as it's meant for… other things."

"I think I get what you're saying." Fiyero said, eyes wide.

"It's a sex club. There are strippers of all sorts of ethnicity, no matter how you like them; there are little areas where selected groups go off and play sex games with a stage and cells; there are private rooms where people go to have a good time; there's drinking and… there's no telling what you might get into." Elphaba said all of this without taking a breath. When she was finished, she flushed a little and then looked back to see the Vinkus boy's reaction.

His nose had wrinkled slightly and on his face was an expression of complete disgust. "Does Avaric always do these sort of things for fun?"

"Not always. Sometimes he likes to talk about doing them instead."

Fiyero shuddered a little. "Does the rest of your group ever got along with him?"

"Nope. I don't know whom he gets to go with him on those excursions. He's probably got some second group of friends who he has specifically to accompany him on that sort of thing."

Fiyero just shook his head in disbelief. "I can't… why would someone? That's just…"

"I know. Next time you decide you like a group of people, don't attach yourself to the rudest one." Elphaba shrugged.

"I'm not going. No way. We can work as late as we want. As a matter of fact, I think I'd kind of like it if we worked very, very late. Too late for Avaric to wait for me." Fiyero sat back in his chair.

"Won't he come looking for you?"

"He might. I'll say I feel like I'm getting some really good work done and I don't feel like going."

"Or you could just tell him you think it's the grossest thing you've ever heard of," Elphaba suggested.

"And be scorned and never invited out with the group again? I don't think so."

"Maybe someone else could bring you along next time, then."

"None of them know me well enough to even talk to me outside of class and tell me if there's some sort of gathering."

"I do." Elphaba grinned.

"Really? You had a pretty firm dislike of me yesterday. You seem like the type of person who is too stubborn to go back on that." He commented.

"And you seemed like an asshole. So we're even." Elphaba told him.

Just then they noticed through the small window in the doorway that Avaric was walking by with Shen-Shen. He spotted them and burst through the door. "Fiyero, buddy, just reminding you about tonight."

"Fiyero isn't going tonight because he thinks the aspect of the Philosophy Club is sick and filthy!" Elphaba stood up.

"Shut up, Elphie. Let the man speak for himself." Avaric replied, Shen-Shen hovering behind him.

The eyes of both Avaric and Elphaba were gazing at him intently. He asked, "What are you doing? I thought Crope was your partner?"

Avaric chuckled and winked at Fiyero. "Shen-Shen and I are doing a little extra-curricular studying."

Elphaba stuck her nose up at Shen-Shen. "You know, I thought you were vain and prissy, but I didn't know you'd do something this pitiful."

"Right. Let me know if you ever get a boy interested in you. Then, maybe, you can tell me what's pitiful." She said, safely behind Avaric.

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest and didn't respond.

"So, Fiyero, my good man, are you coming tonight?" Avaric pushed.

"Did you not hear what my friend Elphaba said, Avaric?" Fiyero asked quietly.

Elphaba gasped lightly and stared at Fiyero. She had expected him to make an excuse, not stand up for himself, and certainly not allude to their friendship. Collecting herself, she looked expectantly at Avaric. "Do you want me to repeat it for you?"

Avaric grunted, threw an arm around Shen-Shen and kicked the door shut.

Elphaba burst out laughing. "Ha! Shen-Shen and Avaric. That's just pathetic!"

Fiyero laughed for a moment, too. After taking a breath, he asked, "How are they not going to be seen? There's a reason for the windows."

"And with so many chairs, one can easily avoid the window. It's a skill I'm sure Avaric is quite good at by now."

They were both silent for a moment, staring at the tabletop. Carefully, Fiyero lightly touched Elphaba's arm and caught her eyes. "Thank you."

She jumped and jerked her arm away in alarm, but she did keep eye contact. "No, Fiyero, thank _you_."


	3. Strange Intimacies

**Chapter Three: Strange Intimacies**

The next time they were in the lecture hall for Life Sciences, Elphaba nudged Boq when she saw Fiyero heading into the room, making his way pointedly to a seat in the back of the room, alone. She realized he no longer had a friend to sit near partially because of her, even if she had "saved" him from Avaric. "Ask him!"

"Why don't you?" Boq whined.

"Because people might make fun of him if he accepted the class freak's invitation to sit by her and her friends! He has no one else to sit with, Boq, and I happen to know he'd like to sit with us."

"What happened to Avaric?"

"They're in a bit of a tiff." Elphaba bit her lip, looking away.

"What? Why?"

"It's kind of my fault… Just ask him!"

"You've never cared if someone got made fun of because of you before."

"This is different!"

"How?"

"I… it… it just is. Go!"

"Only if you come with me."

Elphaba sighed, but stood with Boq, seeing as she didn't have much time to persuade him to go by himself. Dr. Nikidik could be seen from the windows heading towards the building. "Fine." She walked next to Boq to the back of the lecture hall. As they approached Fiyero, she elbowed Boq. "Ask!"

"Um, Master Fiyero, we were…" Getting a glare from Elphaba, Boq rephrased his sentence, "I was wondering… no we were wondering… I mean… well, would you like to sit with us?"

Fiyero looked up from a dull stare at the desk. "Sure." He smiled gratefully. "Thank you," he said to both of them.

Elphaba nodded, still not speaking.

"We're just over here, with Crope and Tibbett."

He gathered his bag and then paused. "Doesn't Avaric sit with you?"

"Just sit as far away from him as you can," Elphaba suggested. "He'll probably be having too much fun teasing me to even notice you."

"Well, I thought you usually kept yourself as far away from as possible. How could I, at the same time?" Fiyero was joking lightly now; he followed them to the seats in the right, near the back, but not completely in the last row. Sitting in the last row classified one as a loser, a loner or both, but they weren't fond of sitting too close to Dr. Nikidik, either.

"You're right. I do seize the furthest seat from him, don't I? Well, I'm not giving it up. You'll just have to settle for the second furthest." Elphaba insisted.

"Next to the furthest, then, and next to you?" Fiyero then adjusted his voice and stature, pretending to whip his hair back and wrinkle his nose at Elphaba, imitating Avaric. "Why would I want to sit next to you?"

Elphaba chuckled, "You're good."

"It took time. Too much time, if you ask me. Do you know how much time I had to spend with him to master that?"

"Every minute of it must have been torture, you poor thing," Elphaba mocked. "Well, maybe you'll be able to master _my_ attitude, after this irritatingly time-consuming, lengthy project. It looks like you'll be subjected to even more torture, perhaps worse than spending time with Avaric."

"I don't see the time I spend working with you as torture, I see it as endurable suffering I must put up with for the good of my grades." Fiyero raised his eyebrows.

"I can't say that's necessarily a compliment, but it's better than the way most people would describe being around me," Elphaba remarked coolly.

"I didn't mean it." He told her.

"I know sarcasm, Fiyero, I'm not stupid. I know you didn't." But she didn't want to talk about that, it seemed. She shifted uncomfortably as she sat down next to him. "Great," she muttered.

"What?"

"No offense, but we are the two most out of place looking students in Shiz, and sitting next to each other doubles the stares I get."

"They'll stop staring eventually. Haven't they gotten used to it?"

"You've been here a few weeks and they haven't stopped staring at you, what makes me any different, even if I've been here a bit longer?" She sighed. "They may be used to me, but the color of my skin still fascinates them, causing them to stare."

"They can go screw themselves." Fiyero decided.

Elphaba winced. "That's not a pleasant vision. There are times when I curse an active imagination, and now would be one of them."

Fiyero chuckled and then suddenly grimaced. "You know, if you hadn't mentioned that, I wouldn't be seeing it my head now. This is your fault."

"You started it," Elphaba replied swiftly, "it's yours."

"But I have a somewhat less active imagination, and had you not gotten me to thinking about the picture in my head, I wouldn't have seen it."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Ah, Prince Fiyero, of course, men cannot help themselves from imagining people naked."

"You had the image in your mind before I did, Miss Elphaba." He reminded her.

"True." She conceded. "But it's gone from my mind, as quickly as it appeared. I'll bet your mind isn't quite so clear yet."

No, his mind was certainly not clear, but it wasn't filled with the visions she thought it was. When it came to images he didn't want, he could wipe his mind clean in a moment. But something she'd said had sent a sight into his mind that part of him didn't want to get rid of. He knew, in his mind, what it was, but didn't even admit it to himself as he shrugged nonchalantly at Elphaba and opened his notebook. "Nope. Not clear at all." He said softly.

Elphaba jumped. The joking, playful tone of his voice was gone. She looked at the Vinkus boy, the diamonds etched along his face in a way that could either illuminate or conceal his expression, and at the moment it was the latter. Shifting uncomfortably, she continued on with the game, "See? I knew it. Dirty thoughts, all the time."

Fiyero swallowed hard and then shook his head. "You think you know men so well, don't you?"

"I know what men think about fifteen percent of the time," she answered, sticking her nose in the air.

"And women don't?"

A small smirk crept along Elphaba's face. "If we did, you wouldn't be able to tell, would you?"

"Sadly, no. It would be nice to know, though. How ironic it would be, to find that the thing women scorn men for wanting is on their minds just as much."

"It would be ironic, if it was true, which it is not." Elphaba said proudly. "College girls may think about boys a lot, but not necessarily that aspect, at least from what I gather. I'm a bit different than the average college girl."

"Right you are. And what makes you think you can assume I'm thinking of sex, since I'm a bit different, too?" He challenged.

Elphaba paused a moment. "Damn, I'm more of a hypocrite than I thought. It seems like everyone's catching me judging, aren't they?"

"What?"

She was remembering the conversation she'd had with Glinda when she'd been angry about working with Fiyero. Glinda had gotten one up on her, and now so had Fiyero. "Nothing. Just something Glinda said to me the other day."

"Glinda?"

"My roommate. She's the blonde who comes with us to the café. Remember her?"

"Oh, yes. The one Boq is madly in love with who he's decided is the most beautiful creature in Oz?"

Elphaba frowned, wishing suddenly that she hadn't brought up her roommate. She'd never had a problem with the attentions paid to Glinda before, but now suddenly she didn't like the idea of Fiyero thinking too much of the blonde girl. Well, what's done is done. It's not as if she really cared anyway. "Yeah, her. The one that everyone's decided is the most beautiful creature in Oz."

"Avaric seems to prefer Shen-Shen." Fiyero pointed out.

"Well, of course, she's Glinda's second hand. Why wouldn't he? He only dislikes Glinda herself because she's much too goodly to do anything of his sort. Most people like her for that, if they're not perverted bastards like Avaric, that is," Elphaba sighed now, staring to the side of the classroom and into space.

Fiyero conjured up the picture of Glinda in his mind. He didn't adore what he saw, but he understood why people would find the young woman attractive. "She's the type of girl you see in all of those paintings, I guess. Blonde hair, pale skin, she's pretty enough."

"Well, you think so, too, do you?" Elphaba's eyes were lit with sudden malice and… could it be? No, it couldn't be jealousy.

"Not the way Boq does. I'm not attracted to her, but I see why someone would be." He defended himself, immediately worried that he'd offended Elphaba.

She sighed in relief. Relief? Why was she relieved? Forget it. "Right. Just wait, you'll be drooling over her at the café like Boq does. The only reason Crope and Tibbett don't is because they don't like women of any sort to begin with."

"She's not my type," he insisted.

"I didn't know you had a type," she retorted.

"Not a specific type, but I know what I don't want." He said.

Elphaba cackled. "What do you want, then?"

He didn't answer. His eyes kept their challenging gaze on hers, but he said nothing. Fiyero blinked slowly and shook his head, trying to shake away the stupor he'd put himself in. Elphaba was looking at him in a way she didn't often look at anyone: like she was afraid of him. Not knowing what else to do, he cocked his head at her and raised his eyebrows.

"What?" She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "You didn't answer."

"What I want? I think I'm still figuring that out." He decided.

"Class, class, please sit down!" Dr. Nikidik had walked into the lecture hall and was waving frantically in the front of the room. He didn't have much success. Most of the students were already sitting down, but were chattering noisily. "Silence!"

This hushed some students but many of the girls continued giggling and gossiping. The boys kicked their feet aimlessly in their chairs and the two strangest classmates sat next to each other looking opposite directions and pretending to occupy themselves with something or other.

"I'm sorry I was late; I had a meeting," Dr. Nikidik began in a mumble.

Fiyero wanted to make a snide comment about their professor's untimely entrance, but Boq was doodling hearts with Glinda's name in them in his notebook and so he turned to Elphaba. "Elphie."

She jumped. "What? What in Oz made you think you could call me Elphie?" She whispered harshly.

"I don't know. Isn't that what Boq calls you? He's your friend; so am I."

"He's called me that since we were children," she elaborated, "and I don't necessarily like it, thank you very much. I don't much like my full first name, either, but I would appreciate it if you would call me by that, please." The intimacy of this boy giving her a nickname unnerved her for some reason she couldn't put her finger on.

"Oh, all right," he nodded, "I'm sorry." He hung his head a little.

"Don't be. You didn't know." She replied quickly.

"Right." He sat up straighter, proudly.

"But," she continued, "you do it again, and you will have reason to be."


	4. Solutions?

**Chapter Four: Solutions?**

Elphaba was in an incredible rage when she met Fiyero at the study room two weeks later. She was fuming so much Fiyero was surprised that smoke wasn't coming out of her ears; she seemed very animated – but not in a good way. He decided it best he stay out of her way and not say much more than was required, but curiosity got the best of him. Half an hour into their work, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Ha!" Elphaba wrinkled her nose and looked up from the book she'd been reading through (several pages of which she'd accidentally torn in being too angry while turning them). "Do you even need to ask?"

"Okay, fine. I'll reword that." Fiyero said, figuring it was too late to back off. "What is wrong?" He couldn't understand it. As far as he'd known, her life was going fine. There were no major social issues, judging from the usual behavior of everyone at the café (an "everyone" that he was quickly becoming a part of), and he was in one of her other classes as well, and she didn't seem to be struggling academically. Perhaps it had something to do with her sister or her family?

She sighed. Fumbling through her anger, she opened her knapsack and pulled out a flyer. "_This_ is what's wrong."

The flyer had already been through quite a scuffle with Elphaba, it seemed, and it was wrinkled and crumpled beyond belief, not to mention the corners were torn at and it was ripped almost in half from the middle horizontally. As he straightened out the paper and pieced it together, he couldn't help but emit a small chuckle. "Oh."

"It's not funny," she warned. "It was slipped under the doors of each dorm this morning, one with for each girl with her name on it. I can't believe Madame Morrible has the nerve!" Without even having to look at the flyer, she quoted, "'The second year girls of Crage Hall are invited to a MANDATORY ball the night before the fall holidays begin. It is required that each girl have an escort.'" Elphaba pretended to gag.

"Be your sister's escort?" He suggested.

"My sister's a first year!" She reminded him. "Besides, she wouldn't even stoop low enough to be seen with me at a social occasion. And think of what people would say – not that I care; but she would."

"Whom do you think Miss Glinda's going to get as an escort?"

"She can have her pick, I assume. Why?" Elphaba peered at him from a scrunched up fierce expression. "Are you thinking you could seduce your way into being her escort?"

"No!" He exclaimed. "What is with you? You're always accusing me of liking her and I don't even know her."

"Everyone does, no matter if they know her or not, Fiyero."

"I've never seen you do this to anyone else." He said quietly.

She stared at him. "Well, I… Boq already does like her, I don't need to ask. I explained already why Avaric doesn't like her, and that leaves Crope, Tibbett and you. Crope and Tibbett do not like any sort of girl, beautiful or not, as I said. So you're the only one left."

"Whatever you say, Miss Elphaba." Fiyero shrugged and went back to his notes. He thought silence would lure her into saying something, but it turned out that she was much better with patience than he was. After what seemed to him like a long pause, he asked, "So what are you going to do?"

Elphaba grimaced. "I don't know. Maybe Boq will tolerate being dragged along if I can get Glinda to promise to dance with him once."

"What if Glinda takes him?" Fiyero challenged.

"That'll happen the day I get myself a date that actually wants to go with me." Elphaba said sardonically. "That means it just as well might never happen."

Fiyero thrust the flyer in front of her and pointed at something else. "What are you going to do about this?"

"Wear black anyway." She replied, having obviously thought of the solution right away that morning. "Or find some other color, but I doubt I'll even try."

"I'd like to see how this entire fiasco turns out." Fiyero commented.

"I'm glad you find my troubles so amusing."

"I don't mean just you, I meant every second year girl in Crage having to get a date and go to a formal ball." Fiyero told her honestly. "I would like to know how your, uh, situation turns out, but I don't mean that for amusement purposes."

"Whatever." Elphaba dismissed him and sat back in her chair.

"I don't see why it's such a big problem; you seem to have it all planned out. Drag Boq and wear black anyway. Why are you blowing up over it?"

"Because I'd rather not have to go at all! And what if Boq won't stand for being forced into 'escorting' me? What do I do then? I don't need trouble."

"Deal with that when you come to it. I understand that you'd rather not go, but there's no use exploding about it when it's not going to change anything." Fiyero tried to rationalize.

"Are you saying I have no right to be upset?" Elphaba demanded.

"No! I'm just saying you could calm down a bit. Worse things have happened and worse things will happen."

"What a comforting thought," Elphaba remarked crossly. Nonetheless, she got back to her work.

Fiyero smiled to himself as he continued reading through the book he'd grabbed titled _The Basic Reproduction Techniques of All Creatures, human, Animal or animal_. He couldn't seem to concentrate and stared, bemused, at Elphaba's flyer, wondering what sort of affair it would all turn out to be and wondering absently if Elphaba would dance with Boq, stopping the laughter that came with the thought; Elphaba was taller than Boq, as was just about everyone else. Miss Glinda was actually closer to Boq's height than most of the girls, now that he considered it. They would make quite an interesting pair, if Glinda had any interest in Boq whatsoever.

Who would Elphaba make an interesting pair with? In his mind's eye, he saw her, dressed up in some fancy dark dress, gliding across the room in the arms of… someone. It wasn't easy to narrow Elphaba down to one other person who would go well with her. What would go well with such oddness? It didn't take Fiyero long to figure that the only thing that could work with Elphaba's peculiarity was a similar strange complexion, nothing white at all. When he accidentally began imagining himself as the person whose arm he had pictured her on, he snapped out of his speculations.

"Don't you find it funny," Fiyero asked, "that 'Animal' is capitalized and 'human' or 'person' isn't?"

Elphaba looked at him pensively. "That's interesting. I've never thought of that before. It's almost as if, by capitalizing 'Animal' and not 'human', we're implying that Animals are even better than humans. Of course, with the way things are going, I would severely doubt that's what it means, but it could've meant something like that, once." She nodded. "I think I might want to ask Dr. Nikidik about that one."

"You know he'll just wave it off." Fiyero warned her.

"Oh, well, maybe someone else will hear it and then they'll get to thinking. The more people I can get thinking, the better." Elphaba mumbled.

There was a sudden rapid but not loud banging on the door. It sounded a bit weak, but quite frantic. Fiyero looked up towards the window, saw Boq and nodded at him to come on in. Boq was so excited he was trembling and shaking with amazement. Now Fiyero was curious. "What's going on?" He asked as Elphaba glanced at the doorway, too.

Boq was jumping. He closed the door behind him and gushed, "I'm taking Glinda to the pre-fall holiday ball."

Elphaba choked.

Fiyero remained calm. "That's great. When did this happen?"

"Well, flyers have been posted all over the grounds since this morning after breakfast."

"They have?" Fiyero and Elphaba had been in the study room since shortly after eating and Elphaba had grabbed a lunch for them, too. It was now mid-afternoon.

Boq nodded fervently. "Yes, yes. And I asked Glinda if I could escort her and she said she'd like that! If I'm not mistaken, she even looked happy!" He exclaimed.

Elphaba blinked. "Well, wow. That's… nice."

Fiyero felt bad for Elphaba and wanted to laugh at the same time. He couldn't understand these emotions, and thus ignored them. To Boq he said, "I'm glad she said she'd go with you."

"She made it very clear, of course, that we'd be going as friends." He elaborated. "But I have hopes, anyway." Boq was anxious in the doorway. "Well, that's all. I just wanted to let you guys know. I'd better go. Crope and Tibbett are out scouting the campus and I think I'd better stop them before they get in trouble." Fidgeting slightly, Boq was almost as quickly gone as he had appeared.

Elphaba laid her arms on the desk and then laid her head on her arms. From them, slightly muffled, Fiyero heard her say, "I know what that 'happy' look Glinda had was. It was relief. She was just glad to get a boy to take her who is too respectful to try and feel her up in the middle of a slow dance."

Fiyero chortled at this. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She picked her head up. "I just have no idea what I'm going to do. I'm happy for Boq and I guess it's terribly rude of me to feel angry that he has a date and I can't force him to go with me, but I'm not hurt. I'm just devoid of any solutions." Her face was blank and pale.

"Well, I'm guessing you're not worried about guys who'll feel you up during a slow dance?"

"I don't think any guys would." Elphaba retorted. "What am I going to do? The only way Crope or Tibbett would go is if they could either bring one another or dress like women, neither of which would go over very well."

"It's a good thing you already know all the problems you might have." Fiyero said, trying to cheer her up. She was never a bright, bubbly, happy person, but she wasn't normally so hopelessly dreary, either. He knew she didn't care for Boq and that she wasn't jealous of Glinda; but Boq had been her only hope. In the back of his mind, there was another answer to her problem, and he racked his brains trying to get it to tumble out.

"Right. That's just so helpful that I know nothing's going to work. Whatever way you look at that, though, I'm screwed." The green girl turned to Fiyero and looked at him helplessly. "Why am I telling you this? You're right. No use freaking out." She took a deep breath and then went back to her book.

They didn't stay for very much longer, for they'd been working all day, and as they were leaving two hours before dinner, Fiyero caught Elphaba's wrist before she turned the knob on the door. "Elphaba?"

She jerked her wrist away in alarm, her eyes wide. "What?"

He realized that he had scared her. Physical contact panicked her when she wasn't expecting it, certainly when she wasn't used to it. Nonetheless, he put a hand on her arm, praying she didn't pull away. "Well, I was thinking. If you'll allow me to, I'd escort you to the ball."

Elphaba swallowed hard and stared at her feet. "Thank you. I know you don't really want to go and you're only doing this because you know I have no other ideas, but thanks. I have nothing else to do, so I'd have to allow it, then, wouldn't I?" She didn't give him a chance to say anything more; she flew out the door and down the stairs before he'd even noticed her arm torn out from under his hand.


	5. Nice

**Chapter Five: "Nice"**

Elphaba tried to keep as quiet as possible about who was "escorting" her to the ball. She refused to even speak to Fiyero about it unless it was to work out technical details, and that was only once. However, Glinda had a way of forcing Elphaba to admit things that most people couldn't get her to say.

"Elphie," Glinda demanded, "what are you going to do about the ball? Everyone else is worrying about their escorts – well, except those of us who have escorts – and," Glinda made a face, she was no longer so glad Boq was taking her as he never stopped talking about it and it was the subject of his every conversation, "you're the only one who isn't worried. It's mandatory, Elphie. You can't just not go."

"I'm going, Glinda, don't get so worried about it."

"It's required that you have an escort." She pushed.

"I will, okay?"

"Do you happen to know who that would be _now_?"

"Yes!" Elphaba snapped, glaring at her roomy. She was trying desperately to take notes on something she never needed to study, simply for the fact of avoiding conversation. It didn't seem to be working.

"Really?" Glinda was suddenly more bouncy. She jumped over to Elphaba's bed and stared at her. "Who?"

"A friend." Elphaba answered shortly.

"Oh, come on, you can tell me," Glinda begged.

"You really want to know?" Elphaba asked, knowing Glinda would affirm this, not sure why she was playing this game.

"Of course I really want to know!" Glinda giggled.

It was almost like she was _Ga_linda again, Elphaba noted, smiling thinly. "You can't tell anyone or I will have to kill you."

"I think that's a bit harsh, but I won't tell." Glinda's eyes were eager.

"Well, I was going to drag Boq, but then he asked you and you actually said 'yes', which pretty much ruined my chances of getting anyone, I hope you know," Elphaba said pointedly.

Glinda pouted. "I'm sorry, Elphie. I wouldn't have agreed to it had I known that."

"I don't think you would've agreed to it had you more than five seconds to think about it. Anyway, someone who knew what my plan was and was with me when I found out that Boq was taking you was kind enough to offer to escort me."

"So he asked you? A boy asked you?"

"Yes, Glinda. Fiyero asked to escort me." Elphaba went back to her notes, hoping desperately that Glinda would take that as a sign that the conversation was over.

Glinda knew what Elphaba's gesture meant, but she wasn't going to let things hang. "Oh, that's so sweet! Isn't he the boy you were so mad about working with? The one you thought was terrible because he was friends with Avaric?"

"Well, he's no longer that close with Avaric," Elphaba said, "and he's nice enough, I guess."

"Nice enough? I'd hope you think so. He is taking you to the ball, after all, he'd better get at least the dignity of being called 'nice'."

"So he's nice." Elphaba gave Glinda what she wanted. "There you go."

"What are you going to wear?"

Elphaba waved dismissively at her closet.

"Elphie, all of your dresses are black." Glinda observed.

"Thank you, Glinda, I'm colorblind and I didn't know," Elphaba drawled. "What's your point?"

"We're not supposed to wear black."

"If Madame Morrible thinks I'm going to waste my money buying a fancy dress because no one informed me I'd need formal wear that wasn't black, she's got something else coming."

"Don't you want to look pretty?"

"Is it possible?" Elphaba retorted. "And why should I? It's just a ball."

"For your date, of course."

"He is not my date, he is just taking me. And why would I want to look pretty for a boy? I don't care what he thinks of me."

Glinda was almost exasperated. "Come on, Elphie, we're going to find you a dress." She reached and grabbed Elphaba's arm, hauling her off the bed.

"Now?"

"Why not? It's Saturday afternoon. All the stylish shops should be open."

"What makes you think that I can afford that sort of clothing?" Elphaba hissed.

"I know you can, Elphaba. You only look like you aren't well off because you don't use any of your money to look anything other. Hurry up, we're going."

And so Elphaba stood in a mirror the night of the ball scrunching her nose and trying to see how anything Glinda had done to "pretty her up" had actually helped. Her dress was a dark crimson-brown, not quite the color of dirt or soil, but something more elegant. Still, with her green skin, she was aware she looked very earthy. That entire effect was shattered when it came to her hair. It seemed odd, the black hair on top of jade. She shook her head. Glinda had done ungodly things to her hair, as well. Insisting that it looked more graceful down, the blonde had styled Elphaba's close to curly hair into perfectly neat, predicable waves and pulled the top half of it into a high ponytail. A half ponytail, Elphaba corrected herself, that's what Glinda called it. Dark locks cascaded around her shoulders and back, but did not get into her face or her eyes – which had been Elphaba's only request.

Then, of course, there had been the make-up. Glinda hadn't been able to powder Elphaba's face like she would anyone else, but that hadn't stopped her from trying other techniques. She'd lined Elphaba's eyes slightly, bringing them out and, Elphaba noticed uncomfortably, making them seem wider, more delicate. She'd even added mascara to Elphaba's lengthy lashes, and Elphaba wondered exactly how much like a young girl's makeover toy she appeared. The eye shadow was light and copper. Her lips were a deep red with a hint of brown – to somewhat set off her dress. There was a tinge of blush on her cheeks. Disturbingly, at least to Elphaba, she looked refined.

Elphaba looked over at Glinda, whose dress was shorter than Elphaba's (her dress went only an inch or two below her knees, though Elphaba had chosen a dress that flowed to the ground) and had only three-quarter sleeves. It seemed ironic. In order for Elphaba to look her best, she'd needed to cover as much skin as possible. In order for Glinda to look good, she'd revealed more skin. And the green girl couldn't help but think that she must be horrifying naked – not that she cared or thought anyone would ever know, she chuckled to herself.

"Elphie, the boys will be here any minute!"

"Yours will. I told Fiyero to meet me at the entrance to the auditorium. I won't be treated like a weak, girlish college female."

"Why not? I don't see anything wrong with it." Glinda stuck her nose in the air. "Isn't it nice to be treated like you're special?"

"But why should he need to walk me? Does that imply that I can't care for myself? Does that imply that he actually wants to spend more time with me than he has to? Neither of those is true, so I will meet him there." Elphaba said matter-of-factly.

"How do you know he doesn't want to spend time with you, Elphaba? He offered to escort you, didn't he?" Glinda countered.

Elphaba had an answer for everything. "He offered to escort me because he knew I needed someone to and no one else would! As I said, he's nice. Why wouldn't he help?"

"I don't know, Elphie, but you shouldn't always think that people don't like you."

"It's pretty darn hard to when people always don't!" She took a deep breath. "Let's not talk about this now. We wouldn't want to get all worked up and spoil ourselves before the ball, would we?" The second half came out only half-mocking. In a way, she didn't want to mess up what had been done to her. Admittedly, it made her feel almost appealing, and she didn't want to ruin it, not yet. A few people could see, first. Not specifically Fiyero, certainly, but he would, because he would be there, but she just wanted… she whipped her head back to the mirror and eyed Glinda behind her. "All right?"

Glinda nodded solemnly. "I hope you have a good time tonight, Elphie," she said softly.

"You, too, Glinda."

They both really meant it.

Then there was an exasperatingly measured knocking at the door – which Elphaba had to assume Boq had practiced several times before on his own wall. Elphaba answered the door for Boq and then left the room quickly, knowing she did have to meet up with Fiyero.

All around her as she walked outside in the already darkening evening, couples strolled by her, most of them too mortified and nervous to speak. Elphaba thanked Oz for this reason that she hadn't chosen to have Fiyero pick her up at the dorm. The entire situation was awkward enough, and she was not going to make it any worse than it had to be. And it was much different, her and Fiyero compared to these couples. Most of the couples around her had some sort of romantic interest in each other. She and Fiyero did not. Well, she hoped they did not. Occasionally her thoughts would wander to the strange dark skinned boy with blue diamonds on his skin, but she decided it was just his differentness, like hers. That wasn't the thing to be thinking about tonight, anyway!

Her hands clutched at the velvety fabric of her dress, holding it up slightly so she didn't trip over it or it didn't drag on the ground. The smoothness of the cloth soothed her and she found herself a safe enough distance away from everyone else wandering the campus to hum to herself. She didn't notice it when she slipped easily into singing, instead.

"In the dark, Elphaba, I couldn't tell it was you until I heard that voice of yours." Fiyero said, smiling as he strode next to her. "Ready?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be? A night of hell, that's what this will be. But I've been prepared for it for three weeks and I am now." Elphaba said, looking at him, biting back a reprimand for sneaking up on her. He'd watched her when she'd felt alone, and she hated that. But she'd have to leave it be, for now, she supposed.

When they reached the building where the main auditorium was, it was lit up and they could finally confirm whose faces they were looking at. Fiyero turned to Elphaba and gulped. "You look… nice."

"Ah, yes," Elphaba wrinkled her nose. "'Nice' the adjective commonly used when you have nothing else good to say about someone."

He didn't say anything. Fiyero had wanted to say more, but he supposed her reaction would have been even worse had he called her beautiful.


	6. Mouthing Off

**Chapter Six: Mouthing Off**

She'd been mouthing off all evening. He'd done his best to entertain her, to do what he thought she'd want him to do, to make everything go well, but she just wasn't going to let it. Fiyero tried so hard to get her to have a good time, but all she could do was make a smarmy remark and act as if she hated everything. Elphaba wasn't very appreciative about anything he'd done, and he was a bit aggravated.

Elphaba had told him right of the bat that she was not going to dance. If Madame Morrible was going to force her to go to some silly ball, Elphaba would sit on the side and watch. Fiyero understood that and agreed with her. He didn't care at all if they danced or not. Dancing was nothing, anyway, and was made into too big a deal by too many people. They both knew that. So neither of them expected an argument or to be on the dance floor. On both counts, they were quite wrong.

Madame Morrible stopped by their table when Elphaba was on her second glass of punch (that she'd insisted on getting for herself while sticking her tongue out at Fiyero because he'd laughed watching her be the only girl at the refreshments table). Fiyero and Elphaba hadn't been speaking too much, but the noise of the band playing had made it difficult anyway, and there wasn't much of a motive to try unless one's goal was to shout oneself hoarse. The elder woman paused when she saw them and smiled thinly. "Miss Elphaba."

"Oh, Madame Morrible!" Elphaba sat up a bit straighter in her chair. "Good evening."

Fiyero could hear that her voice was laden with thick sarcasm and her body language told him quite blatantly that she meant nothing she said. He struggled to keep himself from grinning.

Madame Morrible peered down her nose at the couple. "Why aren't you dancing? You can't tell me you haven't danced at all tonight?"

"We haven't." Fiyero shrugged.

"We did." Elphaba lied at the same time.

Fiyero met her eyes and Elphaba glared at him. "I mean, yeah, uh…"

Madame Morrible was not convinced. "Well, I should think you'd get out onto the floor for at least one dance, Miss Elphaba, as it would only be respectful." The old woman waved at the middle of the room where over half of the couples were dancing slowly to some ballad the band was playing.

Elphaba clenched her teeth. "I guess we will, then."

Fiyero stood up, first, offering Elphaba his hand. He shouldn't have been surprised nor offended when she didn't take it. She strode across the room and simply expected him to follow her, and he did. Uneasily, they stood there for a moment, Elphaba suddenly not in charge for lack of knowledge and Fiyero scared out of his mind that if he touched her, she'd kill him in some unpleasant way. "So," he said.

"Are we going to dance or not?" She demanded. "I should hope we are, because I don't feel like getting a lecture from Morrible on not being respectful," she spat.

"Right." He nodded, and hesitantly placed a hand on her waist, bringing her in close to him. When he didn't get his head bitten off, he put his other hand on the opposite side of her waist and felt her place her hands on his shoulders. It was oddly comforting, if only for the time being. They stepped back and forth very slowly, and couldn't manage to look at each other.

Elphaba sighed. So much for the evening not being awkward. But the soft rhythm of the dancing and the music was calming and she found herself relaxing slightly against Fiyero's chest. The peacefulness she encountered as she did so astonished her, but she did not wish it away. Instead, she smiled a little. She didn't notice when the next song began, and the song after that.

A little smugly – for he was proud that he'd seen that she was finally having a good time – he asked quietly, "Not as terrible as you thought it would be, is it?"

She blinked. No. He could not have caught her with her guard down at all. Elphaba raised her eyebrows and looked up at him (though only a small bit, they were somewhat close in height). "I never thought it would be any specific amount of terrible, that way it would always be at least as bad as I thought," she replied haughtily.

She could not really have had the nerve to say that. Even now she couldn't admit she was having fun with him, that he'd helped make the night a little better? He dropped his hands from her waist and stared at her coldly. Elphaba swallowed hard and watched his face, confused, letting down her grip of his shoulders. "No. How could you possibly have a good time when you claimed you wouldn't, no matter how much I tried?" Shaking his head, he turned away and headed out of the auditorium.

Fiyero could barely remember which way they'd come in, and all of the halls were lit the same. He'd never had a class in this building. With his luck and awful sense of direction, he went the wrong way and found himself in a deserted hallway with no idea how to get out or even back to the auditorium. "Great."

There was a rustle behind him as Elphaba rushed after him down the hallway. "Fiyero, what the hell was that for?" She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot, angry, perhaps the tiniest bit hurt, and fierce.

He whirled on her, sick and tired of always having to be on the defense, always having to try so hard to be kind just for the sake of not getting her angry. "You honestly think you haven't been incredibly rude tonight? You really think you didn't deserve to be walked out on like that?"

"I…" Elphaba struggled for her words. "I haven't said anything mean to you, Fiyero. I didn't mean to insult you on purpose, whatever I did. You're probably taking this all the wrong way, that's all. But, yes, I really think I didn't deserve that. If I wasn't so used to humiliation, that would've been pretty damn embarrassing. But no one was surprised you left me, they were surprised we were on the dance floor to begin with and that someone had escorted me to this thing."

"And I shouldn't have," he snapped. "I did the best I could tonight to make you go back on your word, to make it so you would have a good time, and you're not even grateful for it. All you can say is how much you hate it. Not a 'thank you' or anything."

"It's that painful for you that I should be grateful that someone stooped so low as to be here with me?" She hissed.

"No way." Fiyero pushed her out of the way and headed back down the hall. "I am not letting you turn my words around so it looks like you're the victim. _That's_ low, Elphaba, that's lower than I thought you had the dignity to go." He stomped away and meandered the halls until he found his way, finally outside.

Elphaba was already there. Shivering a little (she'd left her sweater inside as she'd gone after him), she hugged herself and said softly as he stepped outside, "Get lost?"

Through his teeth he said, "No. I just wanted to avoid you. It seems like I can't."

She didn't know why she'd bothered to go after him the first time, or why she was doing it again. Maybe it was just because she knew that this big of an argument would make it much more difficult for them to work well on the project. But it wasn't just that. "No, you can't. Fiyero," she approached him, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He said, not certain if he was ready to accept that.

"For turning your words around, for being so unappreciative tonight and only turning down anything you said that might have made it look like I was having fun. I am sorry. I just…" She looked at her feet. "I don't like to be wrong. I swore I'd have a bad time tonight, and admitting that, thanks to you, I was having a decent time, is hard."

"You really had a good time?"

She smiled. "Well, maybe not _good_, but not bad." When he frowned, she elaborated quickly, "I was kidding. I did have a good time, up until just now. I'm really glad you offered to escort me, and I know it wasn't on your list of things to do on a Saturday night, but it was really nice of you to."

"You really think I didn't want to?"

"Did you?" She asked, genuinely surprised.

"I like being around you, Elphaba, though I don't like formal occasions so much-"

"Neither do I!" She cut in.

"It wasn't as if it was the worst thing in the world. I wanted to escort you. I wanted to ask from the moment you brought it up."

Now Elphaba was uncomfortable. "Why?"

"Well," he conceded, "part of it was curiosity. I had to wonder what you'd look like all dressed up and enchanting. And I knew I'd like to go with you more than Boq would, as he'd only go for the sake of possibly dancing with Miss Glinda, and I'd go just to see what it was like and to spend time with you, even if not in the best of places and not in the best of situations."

On the word "enchanting", Elphaba had backed up a step. "Why would you want to spend more time with me? It's not as if we had much of an opportunity to talk."

Fiyero knew she was getting uneasy and thought he may be behaving too forward. But he didn't know how else to explain everything to her, or to himself. He hadn't really realized half of the things he'd just said until the moment they'd spilled from his mouth and danced off his tongue to hang in the air and spread tension thick. "Elphaba, I don't know what I can say to that without sounding ridiculous," he confessed.

She gazed into his eyes and got trapped somewhere in the dark and the depth of the color and emotion open and revealed within them. "Okay. I think I can understand that." She moved to take a step back towards him, a little less disconcerted, and tripped over her dress, barely catching herself. "Damn, I hate this thing!" She muttered, yanking at the hem. "This is the last time I listen to Glinda tell me how to dress up properly."

"You do look nice, Elphaba," Fiyero ventured, "but you look more than nice. I don't think I should continue; I might get slapped," he bit his lip.

"No," Elphaba insisted, having regained her balance and then taking the step she'd meant to, "tell me, please." She wasn't sure if she desperately wanted a reason to slap him, anyway, or if she wanted to know what he thought.

"Only if you promise not to slap me for it or huff at me and tell me I'm a liar."

"Okay." She wanted his opinion. It's not like she'd be _affected_ by it or anything.

"You look amazing. Beautiful." He told her, face reddening and body braced for attack, for her to pounce.

She did pounce, but not to hurt him. Instead, she kissed him.

Fiyero couldn't comprehend what was happening, but his body reacted and he pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, wanting to bury the other hand in her hair, but she pulled away before he got a chance. "Elphaba?"

"I didn't mean that!" She mumbled. "I don't… I tripped… I leaned in too far… I just wanted to…" Her eyes were wide and darting around desperately. "I have to go."

He blinked and then she was running – already halfway back to Crage – holding her skirt up in case she tripped. She didn't turn around or acknowledge that she'd left him standing, alone, in the faded light of the building. Fiyero stood there, watching her as she fled, part of him wanting to flee, too, and part of him unable to move.

Glinda came out of the door, then, with Boq, covering her mouth with her hand. Fiyero could tell by the look on her face that she was in no way ill, but she wanted badly to end the night early and escape the babbling blundering boy. She was saying, muffled, "Thank you. I'm so sorry I spoiled the night…"

"Don't worry," Boq said, "if you're not feeling well, you should lie down."

Fiyero stopped them then, "Hey."

"Where's Elphie?" Glinda asked automatically.

"She went back to the dorms."

"Is she feeling ill, too?" Boq inquired. "Maybe they've both gotten something!"

"She's… sure… she's not feeling great."

Glinda saw through this but said nothing. "All right. Well, I'd better get back."

"Boq, save yourself the walk," Fiyero said on whim, "I'll take her. I need to go talk to Elphaba anyway. Let me just get her sweater, she left it inside." Fiyero rushed into the building, stumbled around to find the auditorium, found the table and grabbed Elphaba's small sweater – it was brown. It seemed so thin and hardly enough to have warmed her much. He leaped outside and put a hand on Glinda's shoulder so Boq would feel right enough to head back to his own dorm. "Let's go."

Boq disappeared into the other direction and Fiyero removed his hand from Glinda's shoulder quickly. Glinda looked at him appreciatively and said, "Thank you for saving my life. What's really wrong with Elphie?"

"I don't know, actually, that's why I'm using the excuse of bringing her the sweater as a reason to talk to her."

"You like her, don't you?" Glinda said suddenly.

"Well, I… she's all right."

Glinda giggled. "Did she just walk out on you without saying goodbye and leave you outside in the cold, you poor thing?"

"No. She said she was going. But you know her, she didn't explain why, exactly."

"She never explains _anything_," Glinda's voice was high and close to a whine. "She's got quite an interesting explanation for you, I'm sure. Leaving you there."

Fiyero murmured thoughtfully, "Yes, quite interesting, indeed."


	7. Ready?

**Chapter Seven: Ready?**

Glinda didn't bother knocking on the door; she just flung it open. "Elphie, you forgot something! Fiyero was kind enough to bring it back for you." She announced.

Elphaba was lying on her stomach on the bed, her face buried in her one, thin, almost feather-less pillow. Her skirt was up to the back of her knees and Fiyero studied her calves for a moment before he realized he was staring. She didn't look up at them; she simply shook her head, her hair weaving all over the pillow.

Glinda looked at Fiyero with raised eyebrows. "What happened, anyway?"

Fiyero shook his head indicating that he really didn't think it a good time to answer that question.

She understood and said loudly, "I'm going to go wash up. I'll just grab my nightgown. It'll be a while." And with a blonde swish of curls, Glinda left the room.

"Well," Fiyero said, "this is uncomfortable enough." He had only taken a few steps in from the doorway and stood there gawkily holding Elphaba's sweater.

"Yes, it is. So why did you come up here?" Elphaba replied, flipping over and starting to sit up, brushing her hair away from her face.

"Here," he grabbed the first opportunity he could to sit next to her on the bed. Carefully, he helped wipe her hair away from her eyes. "I'll help." Fiyero ran his hands through one strand of her hair thoughtfully before she scooted away. "Elphaba, you're going to have to talk to me. We have to work together, still, you know."

"Don't remind me," she muttered. "I can't talk to you." Elphaba turned her head and twiddled her fingers feebly.

"Elphaba, you don't have to come up with an excuse. I'm not mad at you for what you did." Fiyero tried.

"I am." She murmured. "I've never done that before in my life."

"What? Kissed someone or been kissed at all?"

"At all." She answered using minimal words. "I didn't really expect I ever would."

She wasn't one to admit this sort of thing. He figured she must be so disheveled and upset that she couldn't control what came out of her mouth. "Elphaba, it's okay. It's not like it was bad."

"But I… you… don't like… I didn't want to… I just… you said I… and it just… want to… I…" She was stuttering helplessly.

"Elphaba, shh." He moved closer to her and took her hand. "I'm actually kind of glad you did that."

Finally she faced him. "Why?" Her hand remained in his, though it was limp and she did not clasp his hand the way he did hers.

"Because now we've got this out in the open."

"What's 'this'?"

"How we feel about each other."

"Whoever said I felt anything about you?" Elphaba whispered, unable to put the fierceness behind the words that she would've liked to.

"You kissed me. I think that says something."

She finally gained the power to tear her hand away. "You said something nice. No one has ever said something nice to me like that before, I didn't know how to react. That doesn't mean I…"

"Like me?" Fiyero finished.

"Right."

"It doesn't mean you do, but you do." He dared.

"What in Oz makes you say that? How dare you think you can tell me how I feel?" She snapped.

"Because I feel the same and I'm acting just like you are." Fiyero laughed softly.

Elphaba shuddered. "Just because two people have similar behavior doesn't mean they feel the exact same thing." She would not give in, and cursed her body for shivering so.

"Elphaba, please. Why can't you just admit it?"

"Why can't you get over yourself?" She spat. "Do you think you're that irresistible, Fiyero? Have you thought that all along? Did you only offer to take me to that ball because you knew I…" She covered her mouth with her hand, horrified.

"Knew you what, Elphaba?"

"Knew… that I would have a bad time, so you decided to make it worse?"

"How did I make it worse, Elphaba?"

"By being so damned sweet!" She hissed.

He only stared at her.

"Stop that. Don't look at me that way."

"Why not?"

"It makes me feel bad."

"Maybe you should." Fiyero pressed. "Elphaba, you didn't have a bad time. You told me so yourself. I did not make it worse, you told me that, too. What is the problem?"

"The problem is that I kissed you and I didn't mean to."

"Didn't mean to or didn't want to?"

"Why do you have to keep playing with my words to get me to say things that I'm just not willing or prepared to say, Fiyero?"

"I think you're more than set to say what you need to say."

"I don't!"

"Look, Elphaba, tell me, please, how you feel about me. That's all I want you to do."

She breathed deeply and eyed him. "All right. I think I can do that."

"Good. Go ahead."

"I think you're a very nice person and that I shouldn't have been so rude earlier tonight. I think you're very charitable for escorting me and I appreciate your time very much."

"I told you I wanted to. Why are you suddenly digressing?"

"Stop it!" She cried. "Leave me alone! I can't face all of this. You don't understand."

"I understand everything, Elphaba." Fiyero said calmly. "I wish you'd just explain it to me better, so I can be sure."

"Why do you need to know? What's so important about it? What difference does it make to you, Fiyero?"

"Since you won't take it any other way, no matter how obvious I've made it or implied it in my words, I'll say it. I like you. And yes, I like you like _that_. Now you have to accept that. You can't just pretend to be stupid."

"How do you read me so well?" She asked, hanging her head.

"I don't know. There are a lot of things I can read about you that I'm not good at seeing in other people. I wish you'd state them so I can have certainty, though."

"What do you want me to state?" She was becoming more tranquil now.

"Whether or not you feel the same way about me."

"No one feels the same about anything, never the exact same."

Exasperated, he tried again. "I'd like you to tell me whether or not you like me, too."

"Oh." She acted as if she hadn't known his purpose all along. "Well, as I said, I think you're a very nice person…"

"Cut the bullshit, Elphaba."

"Okay, then. You want to know? I do. Now you can leave. Thank you for bringing my sweater back. That was very kind of you." She pulled the sweater off of his arm (it had been hanging there since before he'd walked in) and hid her face in it, waving him towards the door with her free hand.

"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work, Elphaba."

"Things don't go how they're supposed to with me, don't you know?" She replied, her voice muffled by the thin cloth of her sweater.

"That's true." He chuckled lightly.

She couldn't muster the strength to glare or turn his comment around. "So are you going to leave now?"

"Actually, not yet. I'd like to ask you if you'd go out with me."

"Then ask." She answered, avoiding voicing anything as much as possible.

"Will you go out with me?"

She finally pulled the fabric away from her face and looked at him despondently. "Fiyero, I really don't mean to be rude, but I don't think I'm ready for any of that. I'm sorry. Even if I do feel some sort of attraction to you, I'm not sure I'm prepared to be in a relationship. Please don't let this affect our friendship and our work. I just can't."

He nodded and gently touched her hand. "I can't argue with that. Well, good night, Elphaba. I hope this wasn't absolutely terrible."

"Not absolutely," she smiled weakly.

Fiyero turned and left the room, running into Glinda in her nightclothes. "How'd it go?" The blonde asked eagerly.

"She rejected me." Fiyero said simply.

"What? I was sure she had a crush on you!"

"She does. But she claims she's not ready for a boyfriend. I can't blame her."

"She's just afraid." Glinda said determinedly, "I'll talk to her."

"You don't have to."

"I will."

Fiyero only shrugged and headed half-heartedly down the stairs. His mind was blank and he'd decided to give up thinking too much more for the evening.

Glinda bounded into the room and tackled Elphaba, who had hidden her face in her hands and was shaking lightly. "What were you thinking, you dolt?"

"I was thinking reasonably!" Elphaba snapped, forgetting her anguish. "I can't get involved with someone. I'm not ready."

"You're nineteen and you're not ready to date? What's wrong with you? When will you ever be ready to, then?"

"I don't know!"

"Exactly. You never know until you try, Elphaba. You can't just reject him this way. He looked so sad when he walked down that hall, Elphie. I thought he might cry."

"Boys don't cry," Elphaba muttered, "and neither do I."

"I don't know what you're getting at, but I really think you need to give him a chance."

"It's too late now, isn't it? I just turned him down. Now leave me alone!"

"Fine." Glinda hopped into her own bed, pulled the ruffled blankets up to her chin and closed her eyes.

Elphaba wasn't ready to go to sleep yet. She stared out the window nearest her bed and considered that, yet again, the blonde girl might just be right.


	8. As If It Couldn't Get More Awkward

**Chapter Eight: As If It Couldn't Get More Awkward**

The next Life Sciences lecture, Elphaba sat where she usually did, not speaking to anyone, but scribbling fiercely in her notebook, which she shielded with her hand as if some deeply private words were written on the page. No one bothered to push her into talking. Fiyero couldn't gather the nerve to talk to her again and Boq was still dreaming about Glinda. The class ended and Elphaba ripped the paper out of her notebook, folded it quickly and did something with it that neither of the two boys paid particular attention to. She left the hall at a quick stride, making it clear that she didn't wish to stay and talk.

Boq, still gathering his books, yawned and asked Fiyero, "Did you get everything worked out the other night?"

"In a way," Fiyero tried to smile half-heartedly.

"Well, that's good." The munchkin boy said.

"Right." Fiyero sighed, staring at the doorway Elphaba had just disappeared through. "Glinda went straight to bed when she got in, though. She was not feeling so good, like you said," he reassured him.

"Isn't that so dreadful? What an awful night to get sick during."

"Yes, yes. Terrible." Fiyero sighed glumly. "Well, anyway, I'd better head… somewhere… I don't know. I'll talk to you later. Have a good afternoon." The prince trudged out of class wearily, not looking back.

Boq shrugged. He guessed everyone was coming down with something and it made them all act in such strange ways. Why was he the only one who wasn't ill? Of course, he didn't want to be sick, but it made no sense that everyone else should be. He made a quick check under his seat to make sure he hadn't dropped anything and found a crumpled paper. Curiously, he unfolded the paper and found it to have a quick, deviant scrawl on it. Looking around, he read it to himself.

"_Look, I know I've been distant lately. I just don't know how to put everything together. Since I've gotten closer to you, I've started to like you. There, I admit it. Happy now? Anyway, when I figured out that I was developing feelings towards you, I pushed your attempts and friendship and whatever away, and I apologize for that. I wanted to let you know, if it isn't too late, that maybe it would be okay if we went out or something. I mean, I'm not completely unprepared for anything. I could try, I think. If you'd be willing to give it a chance after everything. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, you know. I just wanted to tell you that… yeah._

_-Elphaba"_

Boq stared at the paper in astonishment. Elphaba had feelings for him? Well, it might explain a few things, like how she'd looked so upset when she'd found out he was taking Glinda to the ball. But Boq had always liked Glinda; Elphaba knew that. Why was she confessing her feelings? Had something prompted this? He wasn't sure, but he certainly didn't want to talk to Elphaba about it yet. He still needed to sort some of his own feelings out. He decided he'd wait a few days.

Two days later, when Elphaba and Fiyero were working in a painfully awkward silence on their project, Boq burst into the room, holding a wrinkled up piece of paper which Elphaba immediately recognized and racked her brain for the reasons why he might have it. "Elphaba, I've been thinking about this note you wrote for days, and I just… I don't know how to say this, I just don't think it would work. You know I like Glinda."

Fiyero looked at Elphaba, who looked at first confused, then embarrassed, then amused, and then at Boq, whose face was bright red and rushed. "Elphaba, is that why you rejected me? You could've just told me…"

Elphaba turned to him, suddenly seeming uncomfortable. "No, Fiyero, I…" She turned back to Boq. "Boq, that note wasn't… meant… for you…"

Boq blinked. "What?"

"I meant that for Fiyero." Elphaba admitted, flushing.

"You like _Fiyero_?" Boq demanded.

Elphaba buried her face in her hands.

Fiyero got up and grabbed the note from Boq. "Where'd you find this, anyway?"

"Right around where we were sitting during Life Sciences a few days ago."

Fiyero laughed. No wonder she'd looked so hurt when he hadn't said anything to her as she'd entered the room. He scanned the note quickly. "Um, Boq, could you, maybe, leave the room now? We were working."

Boq nodded and stumbled out the door. "Sorry for the miscommunication, Elphaba. It's a good thing you didn't like me, anyway, because I don't like you, you know and - "

Fiyero shut the door in the middle of Boq's fumbled sentences. "So, 'it would be okay if we went out or something'?" He asked, turning to Elphaba.

Elphaba lifted her head out of her heads, face dark with not just humiliation, but laughter as well. "Boq really thought I could possibly like him?" She choked.

"Elphaba, calm down." Fiyero thought about it for a moment and saw the humor in it, taking a moment to join in her laughter. He then sat down and put a hand on her arm. "So, what are you doing Friday night?"

"As of now, sitting on my bed and reading like I do every other night. But that could change," she looked at him nervously, "Why?"

"Well, maybe we could go out."

"I'd like that." She smiled genuinely.

"So would I," he told her. Fiyero leaned in to kiss her and she pulled away. "Huh?"

"Not quite ready for that yet." She held her hands up.

"You didn't have a problem at the dance."

"Can we please not talk about that? That was different. Let's take this from before that, if that's okay."

"It's fine."

"And, now that I think about it," she decided, "I have some rules to set."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "Oh? You do?"

"Yes, I do." She took a deep breath and began counting off on her hands. "First of all, no cutesy stuff in public. No calling me 'sweetheart', 'baby', 'honey' or any of those other things in front of anyone, maybe even at all. Second of all, no demanding affection. There will probably be times when I'm fine with holding hands or touching or something and then there will be other times when I'm not. There might even be times when I'll just randomly… never mind. Anyway, is that much clear?"

Fiyero chuckled. "Yes, mistress."

Elphaba smacked him playfully. "Okay. Third of all, it's okay to let people know that we're going out, but talking about whatever else may or may not happen between us is out of line. Lastly, I don't care how drunk you are or claim to be, no lying to me."

"I think I can obey all of that perfectly." Fiyero answered. "I don't drink much to begin with."

"That's good to know." Elphaba bit her lip and gazed at him. "And, if something doesn't work out, for some reason, we can still be friends, right?"

"Of course."

"So, this Friday night that you speak of, what, exactly, would we be doing when we 'go out'?"

"Well, we could do any number of things. We could have dinner, we could go see a show, we could sit around just the two of us and talk, we could walk around town center, we could do whatever you want."

Elphaba nodded. "I'll think about that." She started to flip through her books again and began blushing furiously.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just… studying reproduction with the boy I have a date with Friday night is a little discomforting."

Fiyero had just opened his book and discovered a similar thing. "Oh yeah…"

Then they burst into peals of laughter, looked at one another and were caught in another burst of unease. Elphaba whispered after a few minutes, "I think Glinda's going to freak out when she finds out that I reconsidered."

"Such a bad thing?"

"Me reconsidering? No. Glinda freaking out? Yes."

"I'd like to see what Boq's thinking right about now."

Elphaba giggled. "Yes, yes. That would be funny."

"How did he end up with that note instead of me?"

"I kind of attempted to slide it under your seat while neither of you were paying attention, and I rushed. It must have gotten under his seat or something."

"When he walked in here and said all of that, I thought I couldn't be more upset."

"You? Upset?" Elphaba challenged.

"Not like I'd cry, but, outraged, I guess." He clarified. "It was just such a ridiculous situation, you saying you weren't ready and then suddenly being all right with it and Boq. Of course, it did seem a bit out of character."

"Because it wasn't actually the truth, maybe?"

"Maybe."

"When he walked in here, I thought I couldn't be any more terrified. For a moment, I had no idea what was going on, and then it hit me. Even then I was mortified, but I started to see some humor in the whole thing. _Boq_ getting the note instead of you and really believing it way meant for him! Who'd have guessed?"

"I was shocked, at least."

"I thought you were going to hit someone, him or me, though I wasn't sure which," Elphaba replied.

"I wouldn't hurt you." He said, voice turning gentler and more serious all of the sudden.

She swallowed hard and looked at her hands. "Thank you."

"I mean it."

"Thank you." She repeated.

He discovered that he was making her anxious, so he dropped it. "Friday night, then. What would you like to do?"

"I like the idea of having dinner, maybe then finding some place quiet and a bit secluded to talk. It sounds a bit typical, but not too usual. You know?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll come by your dorm at six-thirty, then?"

"You don't have to walk with me anywhere. I can take care of myself," Elphaba protested.

"I know you can. And we've gone over this. But I'd still like to."

"Okay, then."

Hesitantly, Fiyero brushed his lips across hers quickly, then pulled back to look at her, ready to be scolded. His lips turned upwards when he found that she was smiling.


	9. The Root of it All

**Chapter Nine: The Root of it All**

The winter holidays had been tedious, at least for Elphaba. She'd had to endure Nessa's never-ending rant about how Elphaba, the daughter of such a renowned unionist minister was tainting her father's reputation by dating a boy with no religion and even being seen (only once), Oz forbid, kissing him in public! It had only been a kiss on the cheek, she'd argued (to no avail). And their father was a "renowned" unionist minister? Ha! Elphaba had not concealed a snort at this, which sent Nessa flying into another rage. By this point, Elphaba left the room and prepared to endure the cold rather than deal with the constant nagging for her younger sister.

Fiyero had regretted having to head home and leave Elphaba alone with Nanny, Nessa and Glinda at Shiz, but he'd promised at the beginning of the year. Besides, it did give him the chance to mention to his family, indiscreetly, that he had a girlfriend and was considering his options rather than settling for the arranged marriage his parents had hoped he would agree to. His mother had seemed a bit interested in the idea (she's asked if this wonderful girl he kept talking about would come out for the summer or even the spring holidays), though his father didn't like Fiyero straying from family tradition. Fiyero wasn't much concerned with this, of course, because he had plenty of time. After all, he'd only finished half of his second year of college.

Glinda constantly pressed Elphaba for details of her relationship with Fiyero. She was constantly asking if they'd kissed, _how_ they'd kissed, if they'd ever touched each other in certain ways, if Elphaba thought they'd be together for a long time, and how much time Fiyero spent with Elphaba. Obviously, Elphaba got very irritated with this very quickly. After only a day or two, she'd started avoiding her roommate and hiding in the library until the latest possible hours. Yet, the blonde had gotten to Elphaba again, pretending to be disgusted with the fact that Elphaba had refused to allow Fiyero to purchase a Lurlinemas gift for her, as she wouldn't get one for him, either.

It was the second to last day of the holidays when Elphaba finally snapped enough to head outside with her bag and shudder on a bench. The weather was bitter and cold, but there hadn't been much snow. Elphaba sat, kicking her legs on the bench as a way to keep warm, not thinking of anything in particular, just fading in and out on different subjects. She screamed in alarm when a pair of gloved hands wrapped around her tightly.

"I'm not that scary, am I?" Fiyero moved away from behind the bench and sat down next to Elphaba.

"Everyone's scary when I don't expect them to engulf me in some sort of odd embrace," Elphaba responded only half-angrily. She was happy to see him, as annoyed as she was.

"Is that the kind of greeting I get?" Fiyero teased.

She pouted enough so he thought she wouldn't do anything, and then jumped, kissing him.

Elphaba had never taken the initiative to kiss him first since the dance, and Fiyero was pleased and quite surprised. Cautiously, he deepened the kiss and slid an arm around her waist, tangling the other hand in her hair. When they finally slowed, their faces were mere centimeters apart. "Mmm."

"Wow." Elphaba breathed, her breath showing in the frigid air.

"Now," he said kissing her again, "that was the way I'd like to be welcomed."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and succumbed to yet another embrace. When he finally relented enough to let her have some air and a word for herself, she began, "Anyway, I've, well, um, I've missed you."

"I missed you, too. What have you been doing all this time?"

"Sneaking off to the library. Well, at least the Crage library, though it isn't very fulfilling. But it does have enough of the recent papers to let me know what's going on with the world."

"Oh? And what is going on in Oz these days?" Fiyero asked, brushing a strand of hair out of Elphaba's face and then taking her hand.

Elphaba's face darkened. "More Animal murders."

"That… isn't good." Fiyero frowned. She'd told him of Dr. Dillamond and his murder the first night they'd gone out. Since then, he'd felt a little bit like he'd understood part of her, but he still couldn't share the anger and despair she felt. He hadn't been there, after all.

"No, it's not. I don't understand how the Wizard can just sit by and let this happen! He's got to know, unless they're trying to conceal it from him. It wouldn't be that hard, now that I think about it. They've made all of the articles about the murders tiny sidebars in the papers, like they're only as important as 'Jade Way gets new pavement'. Everything sounds like a suicide or accident, but if you read carefully, you can tell. But maybe the Wizard's advisors are concealing it…"

Fiyero, though not nearly as read and informed as Elphaba, had some experience here, thanks to his status. "Maybe He's the one concealing it." It was just an idea, a theory, not an accusation.

"Are you kidding me? There are too many people working for him to let that happen, anyway," Elphaba reasoned.

Fiyero didn't argue. It had just been a suggestion. "There's nothing we can do."

"And that's what makes it so hard! Madame Morrible told Glinda, Nessa and I, when Ama Clutch died the week before break, that we'd meet the Wizard soon. Maybe I can say something then. It might be more than a year away, but I don't care."

"You mean she told you that night when Avaric had us all intent on going to the Philosophy Club, but together we talked everyone out of it? You were ready to go to the city right that moment."

"I almost wish I had!"

Fiyero had this strong gratification that she hadn't, though he wasn't sure why. If she'd gone, he thought, she would've gone only with Glinda. Without him, she was likely to go wild if something went wrong. He might've lost her, in some way or another, and he didn't like the idea. "It's all right. When you're supposed to go, you'll go. This all has reason, Elphaba. Let things work out."

"Are you telling me to watch everything happen unjustly?"

"No, I just meant that there's a point where you should interfere. You know you'll get a chance to make some sort of statement sooner or later; wait for it." He clutched her hand tightly.

She took a deep breath. "Right." Elphaba looked at their hands and brought her other hand to play with them curiously.

Fiyero snuck a kiss on her cheek. "Besides, as selfish as this must sound, I'd rather you be here. With me."

"That does sound selfish."

"I don't care. We're not yet twenty, Elphie. There's time to do whatever you want. You just need to be prepared." He didn't even feel everything he was saying, but he had to convince her, once again, that she had to stay. Fiyero felt like it was a battle between him and some other force, and he was constantly fighting it. Why couldn't he be good enough to root her anywhere?

"I know, I know." She shrugged.

She'd always yearn to fight, to run. He wondered if he could ever still that need even the slightest bit. Fiyero subconsciously prayed that he could. "Hey, come on. We've got the afternoon. Let's get some lunch, just the two of us. Then we can walk around wherever."

"In the cold?"

"We could eat and then find some cozy bookstore to cuddle in the corner of?" He looked at her innocently.

"Aw, hell." She got up as he pulled her. "You always have the most off the top of your head but wonderful sounding ideas."

"It's a talent."

So an hour later they found themselves in Elphaba's favorite bookstore, sitting on the floor in the fantasy section (a secret guilty pleasure of Elphaba's), coats beneath them as Fiyero read some book about The Other World aloud and Elphaba leaned, head on his thigh, half-sleeping and half-listening. The bookstore owner was used to them and knew them by name; at times, they were the only customers, so he didn't mind them. It was good for him to have company once in a while, even if they weren't always speaking with him. He thought the young green girl and the Winkie were quite interesting and he enjoyed watching their interactions.

"'And so the man, this computer scientist, worked to discover how to travel through time,'" Fiyero read dutifully.

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Elphaba said dazedly.

"What?"

"Being able to travel through time and change things. I could save Doctor Dillamond…"

"Elphaba," Fiyero said gently, "you have to let that go."

She sighed. "But it would be nice."

"It would."

"And then, I could go back and take the opportunity I had to go meet the Wizard and…"

"Elphaba, hush. You didn't and we're glad about that, remember? You will, in time. There's a reason time travel only exists in books. Think of the mistakes you could make. Besides, the only time that matters is right now, just you and me."

"Yes," she smiled warmly up at him, "you and me."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I do feel a bit exhausted. If you spend the last few weeks warding off Nessa's haughty comments and Glinda's inquisitive questions, you'd be practically dead. I'm lucky I can walk."

"I can only imagine." Fiyero pulled Elphaba's entire body into his lap. "Now come here, you. I don't need you falling asleep on me. I can't carry you back to Shiz and into your room, you know."

"That sounds good," Elphaba joked.

"Don't even think about it. I'll just leave you here." He threatened.

She rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't. You'd want to. But I don't think you could."

"Could you do the same to me?"

"No, I'd call a carriage, drag you out to it and have the driver, for bit of extra money out of your pocket, Mr. Prince, drive straight in front of Briscoe Hall and Crage Hall to drop each of us off."

"Well, apparently someone thinks she's more intelligent then I am." Fiyero observed.

"No, I just have more common sense," she replied lightly.

"Sometimes I wonder how much."

She eyed him.

"You just get very… angry really quickly."

"That's a self control issue."

"Anyway, can we get back to reading?"

"Yes. I like this. I wish I could spend more time like this, relaxed and not working like a pack-mule."

"You could."

"Yeah, and I could drop school."

Fiyero hugged her around the waist. "I just meant that we could spend a bit more time together."

"We already spend too much time together and we've barely been dating two months." She scolded.

"So? I can't help it if I just want to be with you every moment."

"You do _not_ want to be with me every single moment, believe me."

"Okay, a lot of moments."

She laughed, settling down and laying her head against his chest. "Me, too," she admitted, "Me, too."


	10. The Only Time Elphaba Ever Shuts Up

**Chapter Ten: The Only Time Elphaba Ever Shuts Up**

"It's a good thing we got most of this done _before_, when we weren't dating," Elphaba murmured, sitting in Fiyero's lap in one of the study rooms, the books on the table unopened.

"Why?" Fiyero asked, burying his face in her hair.

"Because we can't seem to get anything done now." She shook her head to ward him off. "But we do have a few things to finish and it's due tomorrow. We can't go on, well, doing this sort of thing when we have to get this project done!"

"'This sort of thing'?" Fiyero raised his eyebrows.

"You know… kissing and such."

He grinned, "and such?"

"Fiyero! Please, we have to get this done." Elphaba pouted.

She knew he couldn't fight that, otherwise she wouldn't have made that face. He sighed. "Fine. It's awkward, you know that."

"I don't care! I'd rather sit here and deal with some awkward moments than fail the project, Fiyero." Elphaba insisted. She opened a book and began reading.

Fiyero shoved her off of his lap. "It's hard to read when you're sitting there."

She nodded and readjusted herself on the chair that was scooted completely next to his. "Okay. I wrote the paper the other night. Alone. I couldn't do it with you around. Now, we have to work on the presentation – including pictures, remember?"

"Wait, pictures? He's really lucky he didn't assign someone like Avaric to this subject, because he'd get a class pornography show." Fiyero commented. "But how, exactly, does he expect us to get pictures?"

"Draw?" Elphaba guessed. "Besides, reproduction isn't just _human_. All living things do it. We can draw plants and their 'reproduction' cycle with the pollen and such."

Fiyero grabbed some paper. "I'll do it. Good idea."

"I'll write the captions to go under the pictures. Then all that's left is to figure out exactly what we're going to say when we present."

However, they didn't end up deciding how their presentation would go, they found the thought of one last kiss too enticing. They didn't lose control or anything, but wasted enough time in that heated kiss (that they'd sworn would be short) that they would be late for lights out if they stayed to work things out. Elphaba said they'd think something up on the spot.

They were holding hands tightly (okay, so Fiyero was clutching Elphaba's hand and she was losing circulation) when Dr. Nikidik called their names to present. Ripping her hand out of his, Elphaba looked at him with blank eyes. She needed to remind him that, in front of the class, they were merely peers working on a project. He nodded and they headed down the bleachers to set up.

Fiyero began standing up the poster. "We did our project on the several biological reproduction techniques."

Elphaba ignored the snigger that she was positive had come from Avaric's direction. "Some organisms reproduce by themselves, and that's called asexual reproduction." The word "asexual" felt funny on her tongue. What was wrong with her? She couldn't be so immature that she wouldn't use any form of the word "sex" in front of her boyfriend.

No one else had noticed anything odd about the word, including Fiyero. "Fungi reproduce asexually."

"And viruses. Other living organisms reproduce sexually." Why was her face heating up every time she said something?

Again, it seemed that there wasn't a soul in the room who saw Elphaba's embarrassment, and Fiyero continued. "Like animals, Animals and humans."

_Focus on the damn project_. She looked around her. _The poster!_ "Plants also reproduce. Though their reproduction cycle is much different than that of animals, Animals and humans." Elphaba was getting close to stumbling on her words, so she cut herself off.

Fiyero glanced at her inquisitively. He didn't know what was going on, so he continued. This could wait; the project could not, as she'd reminded him time and time again. "Plants reproduce using seeds…"

Elphaba was still biting her lip and blushing furiously. She turned away and just pointed a trembling finger at the pictures as Fiyero talked, hating herself but unable to force any more words.

When the presentation was finally over, Fiyero and Elphaba sat down and the next group (Avaric and Crope) rose to present. Fiyero took Elphaba's hand once they'd reached their seats and ran his fingers along her knuckles soothingly. She threw him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

He took out a pen and dropped her hand as he gathered a notebook as well and opened to an empty page. Quickly he wrote: _What was that about?_

Elphaba took the pen when he handed it to her and held it to the page, pausing. _I'm not quite sure._

_You have to have some idea._

_What are you saying?_

_Nothing. Just… tell me what's wrong, please?_

She closed her eyes. He didn't have to say words and she could hear him begging sweetly. _It's a long story. I'm not upset or anything, I promise. I'll talk to you later._

_We've got time. It's not like it's very important to listen to these two talking about the cellular make-up of fish._

_See, he's being discriminatory! He made them work on fish. He didn't bother talking about Fish_.

Fiyero sighed and almost tore the notebook away. It was back to politics, was it? _Calm down. He probably didn't mean to._

_I'm sure. Whatever. What are you doing after class?_

_I'm walking you back to your dorm like I always do._

_Let's go for dinner, just the two of us, okay?_

Fiyero studied her face, but she was pretending to pay attention. He smiled. _Okay. I'd like that._

_Let me just stop by my dorm so I can get some money._

_I'll pay._

_Not this time._

_I always do._

_Not this time._

_Why are we having this argument when you know I'll win?_

Elphaba stifled a giggle and ignored his gaze. _Because I like to know I'm at least attempting to take care of myself._

_If you don't want me to take care of you, what's the point of dating?_

_Other stuff… I guess… Like just being together._

_Couldn't we do that as friends?_

_You know what I mean, Fiyero._

_I do?_

_Stop it before I hit you in front of the entire class._

_I dare you._

_You know I will._

_I know you won't._

_Fine. You win. Twice._

_I'm saving this one._ Fiyero snatched the paper before Elphaba could attempt to rip it up and stuffed it in the pocket further from her. He knew she'd never stick her hand into his pocket – think of how that would look! The thought of how it would _feel_ left him spending the rest of the hour playing with Elphaba's fingers and trying desperately to think of something else.

As the class ended, Dr. Nikidik watched the couple exit the lecture hall, amused. Their romance was a sweet one, he observed, and smiled thoughtfully. They were quite a colorful couple. He hadn't even meant to play matchmaker when he'd paired them together for the project. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel some speck of pride, thinking they likely wouldn't be dating if not for the project. Those days, he rarely saw students who looked at one another that way, and it was refreshing, to say the least.

Elphaba stirred her tea pensively as she contemplated how to explain her odd behavior. She glanced across the table at Fiyero, who, as always, was watching her affectionately. "I'm still mad about not being allowed to pay for myself, you know."

He chuckled. Then he looked at her seriously and asked, "What was wrong during class?"

"Fiyero, ah, have you ever, well, I don't know, felt uncomfortable talking about, um, certain things with me?" Elphaba scratched at her neck uneasily.

He cocked his head at her. "Like what?"

"Well," she tried desperately not to have to say anything straightforward, "the project."

"What in Oz would make me uncomfortable talking about a project we did for Life Sciences class?"

She kicked him gently beneath the table. "I mean what we did the project _on_."

"Oh!" Fiyero then stared at the table. "I don't know. Not really. I mean, I guess maybe it's weird to talk about sex…" He looked up at her, alarmed.

She'd squirmed painfully when he'd said the word "sex". "Sorry." Elphaba tried to glance at Fiyero but could not raise her eyes to his.

"Oh my Oz, you're really bothered, aren't you?" There was a hint of amused delight in his voice along with concern.

"It's not funny."

"I didn't say it was." But it was a bit entertaining. Even the nerveless, fearless Elphaba had things that she hid from. "Elphaba, though, you know you can't just avoid talking about _sex_," he accentuated the word just to watch her tense, "for the rest of your life, you know."

She winced and swallowed hard. "I certainly can."

"Oh, right. And what happens when you actually have sex?"

"Would you stop saying that?" She snapped.

"Elphaba…"

Elphaba was on a rant, and nothing would stop her, so she continued, "And you know what's really odd? I can say it to anyone else. No problem. But when it came to you and the project, it just wasn't coming out."

Fiyero stared at her. "I think I know what your problem is."

"Oh?"

He didn't know subtlety and didn't care to; he also had gotten used to speaking with her about such things, though she apparently hadn't. "Well, you can't mention any of that sort of thing with me because, well, we're dating and you never know, we might end up…" Fiyero saw the horror on her face. "I wasn't saying anytime soon! Chill out. I'm just saying it's more awkward to talk to me, maybe, because of all of the people you talk about it with, I'm the most likely to be the one you do it with."

"What makes you think I'd ever?" She challenged.

"You're dating me, Elphaba. And it's not like we don't kiss a lot and, well, kiss very… long."

Elphaba's face was so dark she might as well have been from the Vinkus. "But that doesn't mean I ever want to… to… do _that_ with you."

"You're not attracted to me?"

"I am, but I don't think about that. Are you saying that you're attracted to me and you _do_ think about that?"

Now it was Fiyero's turn to get anxious. "You… I… okay, you know what? It's best we don't talk about this. You're right."


	11. A State of BeLonging

**Chapter Eleven: A State of (Be)longing**

"I can't get over how warm it's starting to get," Elphaba commented, walking across campus with Fiyero. "I don't even need a sweater. In fact, I'm almost too warm."

"Maybe if you didn't wear long sleeves all of the time," Fiyero teased.

"It's hard to find black dresses that have short sleeves. I only have one and I can't very well wear the same thing every day, can I?"

"That's true." Letting go of her hand, he stopped and turned to her. "Elphaba, I know I mentioned after spring break that my parents would like to meet you, and I was wondering if maybe you'd come stay at the castle halfway through the summer?"

She sighed. "I'm staying here and I can't afford the ride there and back, much less the hotel stays."

"I'd pay," he offered impulsively.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she smiled softly but shook her head. "No you won't. I won't stand for that, you know it. Besides, my father wouldn't like it and I need to be _working_ considering I got a job to work off the board for the dorms. Summer holidays start tomorrow, Fiyero, anyway. You're a bit late in asking."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Well, maybe next year."

"Maybe."

They reached Briscoe Hall and Fiyero opened the door and led her up the stairs, a familiar enough routine. Elphaba laughed when he held open the door of his dorm on the second floor for her. "Where is your wonderful roommate this time?"

He kicked the door shut. "Oh, I don't know. Molirin is always off somewhere."

"I'm surprised you two even talk."

"Sit," he gestured towards the bed.

She sat, smiling and let him take her hand when he sat down next to her. "I am going to miss you some over the holidays."

"I'll miss you a lot." He told her. "I'm really regretting that I didn't chose to stay, too."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like you're just barely starting to get comfortable with me and I don't want that to disappear over the summer." He blurted.

Elphaba looked at him. "It won't, I promise."

Cupping her cheek with his hand, he whispered, "Really?"

"Would I have said 'I promise' if I didn't mean it?"

He kissed her then, easing her back onto the bed as they'd done several times. She wrapped her arms around his neck and responded heatedly. The hand that wasn't on her cheek crept to open her blouse from the bottom button up.

She didn't flinch. He'd rested his hand on her clothed breast before, even snuck it under her sweater or such, but never taken anything off. But he didn't scare her and she was, as he'd said, at ease with him. "Mmmm," she murmured as he opened her blouse, fiddled with a clasp or two and brought his hands to her breasts, touching them softly at first, stroking his hands over them, molding them slightly as her body language said was permissible.

He pulled himself out of the kiss and continued to touch her, eyes burning when he glanced at her eyes. "Elphaba…"

She squealed at the unexpected feel of something hot and wet on her breast as he swiftly kissed the sensitive, taut flesh. His tongue was circling the tip and she was just lying there, eyes wide, arms above her head. When he began to suck she whimpered and squirmed beneath him. "Oh, sweet Oz."

His mouth left her breasts and his hands returned as he kissed his way back up, over her throat and neck, across her cheek to her mouth, almost drugging her with the intensity of the kiss. For a long while, they kissed and his hands enjoyed her torso, until they heard a key being slammed (upside down) against the lock of the door. "He can't even put the damn key in the right way. Honestly, it takes him ten minutes to open the door."

Elphaba laughed as she quickly fixed her clothing situation. Fiyero was right. She was beyond neat and tidy by the time the lazy Gillikin boy had entered the room.

"Oh, hey." Molirin waved. "What's up?"

Fiyero shifted uncomfortably and suddenly had a pillow in his lap. "Not much. We're just saying our goodbyes, you know, the usual. How're you, man?"

"Same old." The pale boy shrugged. "I'm just going to finish packing, if you don't mind."

"I was just about to leave, actually," Elphaba said quickly. She stood and moved towards the door.

Fiyero bit his lip but followed, tossing the pillow back towards the bed. He took her hand when she opened the door. "I'll write you. Write me back, okay?"

"Of course." She hugged him.

He shook his head and whispered to her, "That's the kind of goodbye I get?"

"In front of your roommate?"

"It's just a kiss."

It was a very long, very passionate kiss, but it was, nonetheless, no more than a kiss. Blushing incredibly by this time, Elphaba let go of Fiyero's hand. "Goodbye. See you when the year starts again. I look forward to your letters."

"Bye."

_My dearest Elphaba,_

_I miss you so much. You have no idea how boring it is around here. Everyone's been asking me about college, and all I can manage to talk about is you. Believe me, they're quite curious about you, though they've heard a lot about you. Don't worry, nothing you wouldn't want me to say. I tell them how beautiful you are, and that you're a bit stubborn and sarcastic and very intelligent. They tease me because they claim that, whenever I mention you, my eyes start glazing over and they're afraid I've gone unconscious or died or something. Really, I'm not that hopeless._

_And I miss talking to you. My dad didn't go to an official college; he was home-schooled. No one around here knows much of anything, except a little politics and economics. You know, the bare minimum needed to manage the tribe. When I become king, I wonder what I'll do differently. I can promise you one thing, though. Out here, there are a few Animals and no one mistreats them. Once I'm king, I'll create laws to assure that it stays that way. _

_Sometimes, I find myself thinking about you, maybe late at night when I'm sitting around after dinner staring out the window. I can almost feel your skin under my fingers, smell your hair. I want so badly to kiss you again, to touch…_

_Oops! My dad says it's time for some hunting with the rest of the men. He doesn't usually do this, but now, supposedly, since I'm growing up, he wants to teach me, anyway, just in case. Whatever._

_Yours,_

_Fiyero_

_My pathetically romantic Fiyero,_

_If you write me another letter like the last one, I will not hold back from smacking you. You can't even imagine how embarrassed I was feeling by the end of that letter! You write as if we're lovers already or something. "I can almost feel your skin under my fingers"? What the hell? What skin? Skin of my hand, of…? Think about how dreadfully sexual that sounds. And yes, I wrote the word "sex". Proud of me? I'm not. I don't really care at this point. You're behaving like Oz did when he met Ozma in the ancient tales. Stop it before I have to whack you with something. I mean it._

_I do miss you, though. I miss being with you, maybe not as physically as you do… which really made me uncomfortable, by the way. I mean, leaving "to touch…" with the lead on there? What are you trying to say and why can't you just say it? Okay, okay, I like it when we kiss and when you… how do I say this without sounding incredibly dirty? Oh, right. I can't. That would be why I'm not going to write it in this letter._

_I do kind of miss sitting with you when you've got your arm around me and we're talking. I miss intelligent conversation, too, even if you have to mar it a bit by your irritatingly endearing naiveté. All right, damn it, I miss you. Happy?_

_Sincerely,_

_Elphaba_

_  
My beautiful but slightly temperamental Elphaba,_

_I apologize for the last letter. I did not mean to make you nervous or anything. You do seem to be getting better with that, by the way. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised you answered at all. Anyway, you know what I meant when I left it off like that. And if you don't, take it however you want to take it. I'm not denying anything, because you'll corner me and Oz only knows what torture you'll bestow upon me then._

_I'm glad to know you miss me, and gladder to know you admitted it. Of course, I can't get too happy, because I'm still stuck here and you're there at Shiz. And thus, here we are, and I'm bored out of my mind. I don't know about you. Do you know we've dated almost ten months? In five weeks after school begins again, we'll have been dating for a year. Thank Oz there's only a month left of summer vacation. I never thought I'd be so happy to go back to school, but my family is so odd right now._

_I'm contemplating writing another little "lovers'" paragraph right here just to see how you'd react, but I'm guessing it won't go well, so I'll refrain. The things I could say…_

_Still yours,_

_Fiyero_

_My hopeless (and yes, you are that hopeless) but sweet Fiyero,_

_You were very wise not to write that paragraph you were considering. It would not have gone well, and I don't think I need to say anymore than that, thank you._

"_Still yours"… are you really mine? I don't think you necessarily belong to me, Fiyero. In fact, I know you don't. If you did, you wouldn't have had to go back home for the summer, you would've had whatever choice you wanted. I know what you're thinking now. Why wouldn't I demand you stay with me? Because I don't know how long it's possible to tolerate me for and I think every person should choose what he/she would like to do with his/her time._

_Anyway, I'm sorry you're so bored, and that's no fun. I'm not bored. I have too much work to be bored._

_And yes, I'm aware of how long we've dated. You were wrong, by the way. By the time you actually sent that letter, it was ten months exactly, not "almost". I win. How many times do I have to tell you to just come out and say something?_

_Sincerely,_

_Elphaba_

_My slightly comical but all the same wonderful Elphaba,_

_This won't get to you before I get back, but I'm stupid and I'm writing it anyway (see, I know I'm an idiot, ha!). I am yours because my heart belongs to you. And I didn't have anything to say when I mentioned how long we'd been dating, just wondering what you thought. That's all._

_YOURS,_

_Fiyero_


	12. Suggestions and Invitations

Chapter Twelve: Suggestions and Invitations 

"It's been a year." Fiyero said quietly, watching Elphaba's face for a reaction.

They were in her room, alone, with the door closed (though not locked, Glinda was showering and they knew she'd take hours). She was lying beside him, her skirt hiked up slightly and his hand was on her thigh. He'd only touched her like that once before and it had caused her to shudder so madly she'd wrenched away. That hadn't completely discouraged him, and after a long discussion she'd uneasily told him (in the subtlest words she could find) that he could try to do that again, if he wished. So he had and she wasn't complaining. Fiyero hadn't touched her skin _there_, only the cloth that covered it and it felt… tempting. Blinking, she looked up at him. "Hmmm?"

"Concentrating on something?" He grinned, moving his hand up.

She giggled and kissed him. "Maybe."

Fiyero let his hand linger. "I was just saying that we've been dating for a year."

"So?"

"So… I…" He couldn't manage to finish a sentence. "I… I feel…"

"You feel?" She supplied, gently pulling away and sitting up.

He sat up, too. "I'm not sure. I feel like, maybe, we're getting serious and we should talk about this before we do anything else."

She slumped down on the side of the bed. "Talking about sex… ah, gee, my favorite thing to do."

He slid an arm around her shoulder. "We don't have to if you don't think we're going to do it within… the next six months."

She stared up at him fearfully. "I don't know what we're going to do."

"If there's even the possibility, we need to talk about it."

Elphaba nodded and took a deep breath. "Then we talk about it."

He shifted on the bed so they were both sitting Indian-style across from one another and then he took her hand. "We're not quite at the point where it's immediate, yet, but I want to get this out of the way."

"Maybe we shouldn't do it at all. I mean, you always hear people saying 'wait until marriage' or whatever."

"We do whatever you want. Is that what you want?"

"Well, I actually don't think so. I'm not so keen on marrying altogether, and so waiting until that, for me, seems a bit ridiculous." She shrugged.

He pretended to almost ignore the comment she'd made about marriage. "Okay. Here goes our talk. First of all, I've never done it."

"Neither have I. You know that. And I know you've never."

"Right. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get everything out there."

She smiled half-heartedly. "I can't believe we're talking about this. It's not as if we have a place to, you know, let loose in, anyway."

"That doesn't mean we won't find one when the time comes." He reminded her.

"True. Fiyero, I want you to promise me that - " There was a short three raps on the door and Elphaba jumped to her feet, alarmed. Straightening herself out, she answered the door, Fiyero just behind her.

Madame Morrible raised her eyebrows at them. "Isn't the door supposed to be open when there is a member of the opposite gender in a dorm and there is no Ama or supervisor around?"

"It is?" Elphaba asked innocently. "I thought it was the door is supposed to be unlocked. Oh, I'm so sorry, Madame."

"It's all right, dearie. That's not why I'm here. I can let that go. I have news for you, Miss Nessarose and Miss Glinda. The Wizard has formally invited you to his Palace." Madame Morrible was, if it was possible for her, beaming.

"What?" Elphaba didn't move.

"Here. This is for you, and leave this for Miss Glinda and I'll go find Miss Nessarose later. These are all the arrangements. You're to visit over the winter holidays so you don't miss any classes. Everything you need to know is written out for you. Congratulations."

Fiyero had to take the papers that Morrible handed Elphaba because she was too dazed. "Elphaba!"

She jumped and then smiled at Madame Morrible. "Sorry. I'm just so… delighted!"

"I am, too, dearie, I am, too." She turned with a swish of robes. "I'm leaving this door open, as the rules say."

"Of course, Madame!" Elphaba faced away from the door and stuck her tongue out. "Whatever." She practically jumped onto Fiyero. "I'm going to the Emerald City!"

"Relax," he set her down. Handing her the papers, he said, "Read them."

He was too calm. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I just… I was hoping that, somehow, whether we both stayed or you came home with me, we could be together for the winter holidays." He shook his head. "But that's fine. This is wonderful for you, so I don't mind."

"If my father doesn't insist I return home, I promise the spring holidays." Elphaba tried. "Anyway," she nervously opened the papers, "let's see. Three days into the winter holidays… see, Fiyero, you could stay and we'll have the first three days. And maybe we'll get back early. You never know."

He smiled helpfully. "You're right. So, how long will it take to get there?"

"Nanny isn't to come," Elphaba mumbled, concerned and oblivious to Fiyero's question. "Then Glinda or I will take care of Nessa."

"Three girls, one disabled, wandering the Emerald City alone? Morrible is more lenient than I thought." Fiyero commented. His face turned to worry. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine, you dumb oaf." She spun around and then stopped, studying the papers. "Ooh, Glinda's not going to like this. First of all, the three of us are all in a taxi carriage, 'to be shared with whoever may need' and it's the three of us to one hotel room on the three nights it takes to get there _and_ the week and a half we spend in the city. One queen bed. I'll live, but Nessa and Glinda may not be too happy about it."

"Elphie!" Fiyero clutched her hand, face suddenly bright. "We _can_ be together for the winter holidays."

"What?" She was still gazing at the letter.

"I have extra money. I could pay for two hotel rooms, each with two twin beds. And two carriages for the four of us. I could come with."

"You could… what? No."

"Why not?"

"You weren't… you don't have permission."

"It's the winter holidays. It doesn't matter. And we're twenty, it's not as if they won't let me pay for two hotel rooms."

She thought about this. "But the two of us, together, for a long period of time."

"Nothing has to happen."

"Who would stay with who?"

"You'd stay in the same room as I. There would be two twin beds. I can make sure of it. I promise."

Elphaba was hesitant. "I don't know."

He knew she wouldn't do this for herself, but others would benefit. "It would really make Glinda and Nessa a lot more relaxed and contented. Everything would be much nicer and less crowded."

"You're right."

"Please?"

"Well, I can't refuse, can I? That does sound awfully nice." She swayed a little.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. "It'll be amazing."

Glinda came rushing into the room. "Elphie, we're going to… oh! Did I interrupt something?" She pointed at the two of them.

"Just a hug."

"Oh, okay. Elphie, have you heard about the city?"

"Yes, yes."

"Well, Nanny and Nessa are arguing downstairs because Nanny insists the conditions are not personal enough for Nessa, especially considering her disability." Glinda said.

"Are they coming upstairs?"

"Any moment. It's just difficult, you know, with Nessa's chair."

"Of course. Well, the conditions aren't going to be as we've been told. Fiyero's going to arrange for that."

"How?"

Nanny and Nessa made their entrance then. Nessa was raging, "Nanny, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can't just refuse to let me go because the living environment will be too crowded! The Unnamed God is not against suffering a little. In fact, it would be wrong of us to demand single rooms!"

"Well, you see…" Elphaba said.

Nanny tapped her foot, ignoring or not hearing Elphaba's words. "Still, I am uncomfortable with you three girls alone in the city, especially in such a situation."

"But Nanny, you don't see the point here," Nessa protested.

"Would everyone shut up and listen to me?" Elphaba shouted, raising her voice.

And the three women did just that: shut up. All heads were turned to Elphaba, who stood in the center of the room with Fiyero behind her with his arms around her waist. He looked at her intently, as well.

"I'm going to explain to you the way things are probably going to work and then you can talk. No interrupting me. There will be four of us on this trip: Nessa, Glinda, Fiyero and I. We will have two carriages for the four of us, and two hotel rooms each night with two twin beds in each. Fiyero is going to arrange for that. Since it will not be so squished, and there will be a stronger person to keep us safer, I assume this is not an issue."

"It's not for me." Fiyero said quickly.

"Duh, Fiyero, you came up with it." Elphaba attempted to whack him on the top of the head but he ducked, managing to keep one arm still on her waist.

Nessa turned to Nanny, "I don't see a problem."

Nanny sighed. "You win."

Glinda jumped up and down in delight. "Yay! We're going to the Emerald City!"


	13. Lights Off

**Chapter Thirteen: Lights Off**

Three days… three days with nothing to do but read one of the four books she'd brought, sleep or talk to Fiyero. Thank Oz for that last convenience. Otherwise, Elphaba might not have survived. She was sitting next to him on a bench made for one. Their bags were directly across from them on and under the opposite bench, which should've been where Elphaba was sitting. They didn't feel crowded in one another's company, though, and they sat fairly comfortably. Trying desperately to refrain from starting the ride with a heated make-out session, Elphaba had been reading for over two hours when she put down her book. "Fiyero?"

"Huh?" He'd been half asleep. Not an avid reader like she was, he'd amused himself with watching the terrain and had barely noticed when he'd begun to drift off. Noting how cold he suddenly felt, he pulled her into his arms. "What?"

"I know we're sleeping in the same room, but I don't want you to expect anything from me. That doesn't necessarily mean nothing's going to happen, but I'm not certain if I want anything to just yet." She lifted her chin, gazing up at him slightly.

"I wasn't expecting anything." He told her. "But we never finished that conversation about, you know, what might happen."

Elphaba shuddered. "We don't have to," she decided, kissing him.

Fiyero always marveled at how she could persuade him to give in to just about anything. There would be no arguing over the continuation of their discussion, not for that moment. He shifted and slid a hand up her skirt again. Able to feel her move slightly against him to uncross her legs, he grinned inwardly and recklessly pulled at the cloth between her bare flesh and his hands.

She gasped but let him pull it off, afraid she'd hate herself later if she denied her body this miniscule pleasure. When his hand tested the skin, she pushed herself towards him and deepened the kiss. Elphaba groaned lightly as his fingers slipped into her.

He was delighted by what his fingers found, creases of skin soft and tender, just waiting to be caressed and teased, damp depths he yearned badly to venture further into. So he kept up with his journey, not meaning to cause her to yelp when he accidentally poked the thin layer of tissue that signified her virginity. "Oh, shit. Elphaba, I'm sorry." Fiyero pulled his hand away immediately. Horrified, he found a drop or two of blood.

Elphaba shrugged, "It's okay. Doesn't hurt now."

"You're bleeding a little."

She flushed. "Oh."

Quickly he fumbled around the carriage, pulling out his larger travel bag that rested under the seat and rummaging through it to find some sort of cloth. He tugged out a t-shirt he slept in; he felt, then, another hand stop his rummaging. He looked up to meet beautiful hazel eyes, imploring. He put the shirt aside as she kissed him fiercely, passionately, begging him, perhaps, in the most heated passion, to continue. He, however, was taken aback, and broke the kiss to, once again, look her in the eye. His eyes were clear enough: he was confused, even frightened. The latest, though, was his concern for her well-being. He didn't want to hurt her. "Elphaba…?" He asked, his voice full of unease.

"It's okay," she whispered into his ear, and encouraged him to move further onwards. "It's okay."

Taking a deep breath, he kissed her again and moved his hand back. Now knowing where everything was, he hesitated more than before. It was easier, though, knowing that she wanted this. He knew she would stop him if she didn't want this, wouldn't she?

Elphaba breathed, "Do it, please."

He nodded before catching her lips, assuring her that he cared for her, and making her - or rather him - feel more safe and comfortable about her choice. Again, he started his movements, tender, softly, and then moved his hand right into the barrier. As it broke, he felt sick, but didn't yank his hand back.

She tore her lips from his and bit her tongue as hard as she could, squinting. "Don't move," she said, "don't move until I tell you to."

He nodded, taking his other hand and brushing her hair away from her face, stroking her cheek comfortingly. He kissed her in a bleak attempt to comfort her, to distract her from the pain he knew she was suffering. "I'm…"

"No, don't."

After a few moments, she exhaled heavily. "All right. Move."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded frantically, and was still sore, but the stabbing pierce of pain had disappeared and it had become a dull throbbing. As his fingers started to feel around slowly again, Elphaba whimpered, "That kind of feels good."

"That's what I'd hope for." Fiyero replied.

"You can stop. You don't have to," she added, "but if you want to."

He couldn't look at his own fingers. Hastily, he grabbed the nightshirt he was to wear that evening and wiped his hand off without looking down at it. Carefully, he pushed her legs apart and slipped the shirt between them.

"Fiyero, how many clothes are you going to ruin?" She moved to give him better leverage.

"Do you care if I sleep shirtless?" He cleaned her of the blood and then smiled down lovingly into her eyes.

"It's a bit late to ask," she shook her head and smiled. "What difference does it make? I'm not sleeping in your bed. Besides, you've seen enough of me. It's only fair," she smirked.

"That might be true."

"And it's only fair," she began, "that since you touched me like that…" Her hand crept to the waist of his pants, undid the top button and snuck inside.

Fiyero rested his head back against the seat and moaned, "Elphaba, why?"

"My turn to explore," she responded.

"Explore as you wish," he allowed.

And she did.

When he saw the hotel in the distance, she was asleep on his shoulder. He sat up abruptly and woke her. "We have to clean up. Have you stopped bleeding completely?"

"I think so." She pulled the shirt away. "What do we do with this?"

He grabbed it, staring straight ahead, and shoved it in the bottom of his bag. "We'll throw it out tonight."

"Hopefully I'm done bleeding."

"I may not be allowed to be sorry, but I don't like hurting you and I feel bad."

"It's all right." She kissed his cheek and they gathered everything until the carriage looked as it had just after they'd placed their bags inside. When he helped her out of the carriage, she felt a slight ache, but knew that was how it would be and forgot about it. They met up with Glinda and Nessa, checked in and headed to the two rooms that were up two flights of stairs, down three hallways and next to one another. Mumbling goodnight to her sister and to Glinda, she ambled into the room she'd share with Fiyero, dropped her bags and collapsed on one of the two twin beds.

Fiyero placed his things near the other bed, which was next to hers but separated from being very close by two bedside tables with lamps on each of them. He dug through his bag, threw out the bloodied shirt and sat down on his bed, looking at Elphaba. "You all right?"

"Yeah," she muttered. "Look, I don't know how we're going to do this, but I need to clean up and change for bed."

"I'll just change in the bathroom. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I'll probably take longer than you will, because I need to, in a way, wash up."

"I do, too, Elphaba, I'm just going to shower. I think I'll probably be out about the same time you're finished."

"Just ask before coming back in?"

"Of course." He got up, bent over her bed and kissed her before grabbing his bag and heading into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Elphaba stumbled to unzip her dress and then let it drop. She tugged off everything and went back to her bags for the oil. For a moment, she found herself staring at herself in a mirror. There was no blood on her thighs, like she'd worried there might be, and she looked like she probably always did naked. But she hated it. If he ever saw her like that, he wouldn't be so quick to want her, she was sure. How could he care for her, even seeing what she looked like with clothes? He certainly couldn't if he ever saw her like this, no, not ever. Resolving that if they ever did make love, they'd do it in the dark, she grumbled to herself and finished cleaning up. Hastily, she pulled on her nightclothes and sat atop her bed, trying to forget the humiliation she felt at the thought of him seeing her.

He knocked on the bathroom door and asked, "Is it okay if I come back in, now?"

"Yes," she called back.

Fiyero stood there, shirtless and completely unashamed. He jumped onto her bed playfully. "I know you don't think so, but I think we need to finish that conversation."

"Tonight?"

"As soon as we can." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "There's not much more to say, I promise."

"Fine, let's finish it."

"What was that about, back in the carriage?"

Taking both of his hands but not looking him in the eyes, she said, "Fiyero, it was breaking it then or breaking it whenever it just so happens that we… do something. It was going to hurt. I don't want it to hurt the first time. That's not what I want to remember, not when it's supposed to be so wonderful, so good. I won't let that ruin it. Fiyero," she reminded him, "you were going to break it anyway. All that that did was make it less awkward and less messy, okay?" Elphaba squeezed his hands. "Did you want to end up thinking about our first time as me wincing and yelling in pain and blood all over the both of us? Come on."

She was right. In fact, it was completely logical. But he hated hurting her. "Well, I guess that makes sense."

"See?" She reached up and kissed his nose good-naturedly.

"I have more to say, in light of that conversation we'd been having. You know I'd never hurt you if I could help it. I want you to swear to me that when we do, you know, you'll tell me if I do anything wrong, anything that makes you uncomfortable."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You think I wouldn't?"

"Just making sure."

She stared at him quietly. How could a man so handsome have affection for her? Then she remembered what she'd been thinking of earlier. "No lights on, if and when, okay?"

"What?"

"Having the lights off seems more," she tried to find an excuse, "intimate, more romantic. I don't know. That's just how it seems to me, anyway."

"Okay. If you want the lights off, you get what you want." He nodded.

"Thank you." She leaned over and kissed him, running her hands along his chest. Elphaba marveled at the feel of his skin and moved her head down to kiss along his muscles. "You're so beautiful."

"So are you." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

She shook her head.

He caught her chin with his hand and forced her to look up at him. Kissing her on the mouth, he whispered, "You are. I promise."

Elphaba didn't bother to fight him, she just shrugged.

He got up and plopped comfortably onto his own bed. "Goodnight, Elphaba."

"Come back here," she pleaded.

"Huh?"

She was thinking with about the same confusion. What was she doing? "I just want to sleep next to you. Nothing more. If you're all right with that, I mean."

"I'm more than all right with that."

She moved over as he climbed into the bed with her. It was small, as the bed was meant to fit one person, but they felt no discomfort at being that near one another, and so it was fine. When he wrapped his arms around her and settled back in to sleep, she sighed happily and closed her eyes. "Thank you. Good night, my sweet."

He stayed awake for a few minutes. That was the first time she'd called him anything other than his name.


	14. First Taste of Heaven

**Chapter Fourteen: First Taste of Heaven**

When they reached the city, special arrangements had been made for Nessa's room to be on the first floor, but the hotel they were in was so crowded that Fiyero and Elphaba's room was located on the third floor. This made Glinda uneasy. What if she needed Elphaba because something happened to Nessa that she didn't know how to handle? Elphaba only laughed at that. If something happened to Nessa that Glinda wasn't prepared to deal with, it was likely no one was prepared to deal with it.

One afternoon while Nessa was resting and Fiyero was, in Elphaba's words, behaving like an idiot (he'd suggested they go on some stupid romantic rendezvous in the famous Lime Park, which she'd snubbed), Glinda and Elphaba snuck out and went shopping. Elphaba shuddered at the prospect, but went only because she felt awkward going anywhere with Fiyero at that point (they'd had an uncomfortable moment that morning when they'd woken up and she'd found herself pressed against something distinctively… hard).

Glinda, after making Elphaba try on a deep violet dress that she'd insisted looked gorgeous (that Elphaba herself had thought almost cast her in a pretty light) and pouted when Elphaba refused to buy it with the excuse of insufficient funds, wheedled her friend about her relationship. "So, you and Fiyero staying in the same room, must be awfully cozy, huh?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "It's fine. That's why there are two separate beds."

"Oh, you actually use them?"

"Glinda! Fiyero and I are not having sex. For the last time, I'm not going to tell you about anything else, so leave it."

Glinda pretended to hang her head. "I was just curious, Elphie."

"Maybe you should find some other subtle way of asking me questions, then."

"Is it weird? I mean, the two of you sharing a room?"

Elphaba sighed. "It is, a little bit. Sometimes it's very awkward when we have to change for bed, but I'm getting used to it. He's my boyfriend, Glinda. I'm not going to run screaming when he walks into the room shirtless."

"You've seen him without a shirt? Oh, what does he look like? Is he cute?"

"That is none of your business."

"Come on! Do you think he looks good like that?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Well, Elphie, I'm just wondering if you actually have the hormones to be attracted to anyone."

"Of course I'm attracted to him! I'm dating him, aren't I?" Elphaba folded her arms across her chest.

"Then do you think he looks handsome without a shirt on?"

Elphaba hid her face in her hands. "Yes."

"Aw, that's so adorable! I know you guys have kissed, but has he tried to do anything else?" Glinda prodded.

"Why should I tell you? I'm not going to talk to some outside person about a relationship that's supposed to be between two people, not the entire world."

"So he has." Glinda concluded

"Ugh! Just because I don't tell you about something doesn't mean I've done it!"

"Will you tell me when you two have sex?" Glinda was hopping up and down.

"When? Whoever said we were going to do it at all? And I don't know if I'll tell you, I'll approach that problem when it happens, and that hasn't come up yet. End of story."

"Fine. If you're not going to be a real friend and tell me secrets…"

"Sweet Oz, Glinda, would you forget it? That's not going to guilt me in to anything." Elphaba was all too glad that they'd reached the hotel again. She darted up the stairs and into the room.

"Hey," Fiyero looked up from the magazine he was reading and smiled at her.

Her face darkened. She still wasn't quite comfortable after the event that morning. "Um, hi. Just grabbing a book. I'll be in the lounge." She swiped her book off of the bedside table and turned right back out of the room.

"Why not read with me?"

The door was already shut before Fiyero had finished his question. She felt terrible about treating him that way, but she just needed to get reacquainted with herself and with privacy before she went back into the room. By the time she felt she'd done that, it was past dinnertime, and she'd forgotten to eat. Figuring she'd just have to eat a lot of breakfast the next morning, she shoved her key in the lock and opened the door.

No one was there, from first glance. But there was a tray of fruit and other such foods, along with a note. Elphaba could tell that much even with the lights off.

She smiled to herself as she headed towards the tray. He never gave up, did he? Elphaba giggled to herself when she realized she wouldn't want him too.

_Elphaba, Glinda and I went out today while you were in the lounge and she showed me something she thought you might like. Consider it a gift, in honor of your meeting the Wizard. I left it on your bed._

Curious, she munched on an apple and went to her bed. There was the dress she'd tried on early that afternoon. Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't seen how much it cost because she'd been afraid of knowing, since she was sure it was far out of her price range. But of course, that never mattered to Fiyero. "It's beautiful."

"Like you." Fiyero entered the room then and looked at her questioningly, as if asking if it was all right for him to get close to her.

She nodded. "You really didn't have to."

"I felt like it." He shrugged like it was no big deal and sat down on his bed.

She set the dress aside and tackled him. "You're so wonderful." Elphaba hugged him. "What did I do to deserve you? How am I any good?"

He laughed and pushed her off of him, wrapping his arms around her. "You are the wonderful one, Elphaba. You're not good. You're absolutely amazing."

"Fiyero…" Elphaba looked into his eyes, able to see her reflection in them perfectly in the fading light of the evening. "Why do you do all of this for me?"

"Because I…" He bit his lip. "Well, I just like to."

She raised her eyebrows at him, wondering what he'd been about to say. "Just like to, huh?"

"Yes. I do."

"Tomorrow I meet the Wizard," she said suddenly.

"I think maybe you should eat a bit more," Fiyero pushed her gently towards the tray of food. "You might be so nervous you won't have a stomach to eat anything tomorrow."

"I never get that pathetic!" She protested, but obliged and sat down, gesturing for him to come sit with her.

"It's never happened before, but you never know. Besides, I had this brought up for you. You can't just waste it." He sat across from her and watched her eat.

"That's true. You know how to convince me way too well. Aren't you going to have any?"

"Nope. I had a normal dinner down in the dining area, thank you. This is all for you. Eat up. Please?"

She laughed at the plea in his eyes and dug into her food. "I really appreciate this."

"It was really nothing, Elphaba."

"Um, Fiyero, would you like to sleep next to me again tonight?" She asked shyly.

"I'd like to every night." He replied honestly.

"I think you'd like to do more than that every night." Elphaba teased.

"One day, one day."

"How about today?"

It was lucky he hadn't been eating anything, for he would've choked at about that point. He gazed at her, meeting her eyes, eyes that told him everything he'd ever dreamed to know and more. "You mean…?"

"Yes, that's what I mean," she said softly. Elphaba held out her hand. "I'm done. Let's go to bed."

Fiyero took her hand and pulled her close to him. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. The only reason… when I woke up this morning, Fiyero, the real thing that caused me to get so uneasy was that I just wanted…" Her mouth reached his then, and she didn't feel the need to say anything more. She led him into a long but tender kiss and then let him pick her up and lay her on his bed. "I want."

"What a coincidence," he murmured, "so do I." His fingers traveled towards her back, to the zipper of her dress and he tugged it down slowly. He kissed her deeply and ran his free hand through her hair. "Are you sure you want the lights off? I'd like to see all of you."

Yanking his shirt over his head, she shook her head. "I like the idea of the lights being off. Maybe another time, okay?"

"Whatever you want." He assured her.

"Thank you," she lifted her arms over her so the dress could be easily pulled off. It was winter and the room had gotten chilly. She shivered a little and clung to Fiyero, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"Mmm," he worked his hands to undress her fully before he'd even taken anything off below his own waist. Fiyero concentrated on touching and kissing her, testing her skin, taking the time to really feel every bare bit of flesh he could find. As he kissed his way down past her breasts, he felt her tense. "You all right?"

"Yeah, fine." Her eyes were wide. He wasn't really going to use his mouth _there_, was he?

Nearing her waist, he sensed the essence of something savory, like honey, but a honey made by even better creatures than the bees, by the heavens. He had to try it. Fiyero slipped his tongue into her, eager and thirsty. His mouth teased her, moving and licking and lapping until there was a rush of syrupy sugary sweetness filling his mouth.

Elphaba cried, "Oh!" She felt her muscles release and pressure ease as he carefully swept his tongue over her thighs. "Wow."

He took a deep breath and faced her again. "You taste like nectar."

She turned away, too embarrassed to talk about the sexual actions they were doing, just wanting to _do_. Elphaba helped Fiyero out of the rest of his clothing and arched her back slightly, ready to welcome him. "I still want."

He took one of her hands, intertwining their fingers. His lips met hers and he cupped her cheek, gazing down into her eyes. "I do, too."


	15. Room 303

**Chapter Fifteen: Room 303**

She woke without moving or shifting; eying the clock to find it was one-thirty in the morning. Thinking for a moment, she deduced that she couldn't have been asleep very long and wondered what had caused her to awaken at an hour so different from her sleep pattern. Of course, she knew. Before even fully emerging from sleep, she'd known. He was sleeping peacefully beside her, his face in a grin of satisfaction. His arm held her by the shoulders, close to him, their faces inches apart. Her lips fought a smile and lost in an almost joyous surrender.

It wasn't what she'd have guessed; it was so typical. They'd done it in a cheap hotel. Some angry (and, resentfully, Elphaba couldn't help but assume, probably single) woman had banged on the wall and shouted for them to "keep it down". But she couldn't simply lie there, meeting his frantic movements with her own even more vigorous responses, and just _smile _silently, giving no audible encouragement, no oral compliment to let him know that what he was doing felt just so incredibly good. Sure, her body and motions might let him know, but it had gotten so difficult to control her moans and cries towards the end that she'd given up and let go. The recollection aroused her and caused her to blush in the darkness and giggle helplessly.

The giggle, _her_ giggle, a sound so foreign and random in the black and silent hours of the moment, woke him. He felt his eyes took much too long to adjust so as to give him the treasured benefit of studying her face. He scooted nearer to her and murmured, "What a night, huh?"

She did not want to talk about it, not while it wasn't happening – only then would she utter any sort of opinion of it. Even then, those thoughts were expressed in panted encouragements and wild, desperate sounds of desire. Elphaba avoided words and simply reached and stroked his forehead, just purring slightly, softly. "Mmm."

Fiyero kissed her cheek and whispered, "You okay? Sore? Happy? Disappointed?" His eyes bore into hers, sapphire globes of curiosity and wonder, imploring her.

She sighed; his questioning constantly made her uneasy. It wasn't that it hadn't been amazing; there was just something about the discussion of sex that unnerved her, but she could deal with this. "I should be sore after all of that, especially all of that with _you_," she teased. "But I'm not. And I'm certainly not disappointed. If anything, I'm astonished that it was so good." She admitted.

"You didn't think it would be?"

"I did, sort of. But not like that. You can't even imagine what that felt like. I thought I'd burst if it got any better." She rolled over a little and ran her hands along his chest. "And it probably gets better every time."

He laughed. "I'd expect you to be finished with this tonight."

"I always surprise you, don't I?" She mumbled playfully.

"Yes. I was expecting you to tell me we'd learned enough about one another already. I mean, I know what it feels like inside of you, I know what it _tastes _like inside of you, I know how it feels when you…"

"Shh." Elphaba was already feeling embarrassed enough by half of what he'd said, so she cut him off with her mouth, kissing him and hungrily tugging his body over hers, pressing her hips against him, leaving him helpless to reject her. She held him to her tight, so tight that he pulled away.

"Calm down," he said, "I can't get my hands between us to touch you, nor are you allowing me to do this," his mouth went to her neck, kissing feverishly, sucking ardently as she hissed in surprise and enjoyment. His hands moved along her torso and to her breasts, sliding along them mercilessly.

She was already going mad. Her hands were lost, unable to do much except touch him ever so slightly. Feeling his mouth lower to her breasts and his hand move to explore her, she arched her hips slightly, against his fingers. "Only once and already you know how to get me begging."

"I don't hear you begging." Fiyero smiled down at her. "But I'd like to."

"I didn't mean literally." She tried to frown amidst the caresses, but could not manage to.

"Well, I want you to." He pressed against her harder.

"Oh!" She fought back, though. "In your dreams. Get on with it, you might as well, you're just delaying it by trying to get me that fragile, otherwise."

His fingers crept further and began a slow, painfully rhythmic movement in her. "Oh? I want you to beg."

"I – will – not…" Despite her struggle, she was having difficulty responding to him with anything but sounds of pleasure, which she desperately didn't want him to hear. She bit her lip as he thrust his hand faster, minutes going by with clenched teeth and eyes ready to tear. "Not… giving… in…"

He smirked, replied, "I doubt that," and with a last drive of his hand, succeeded.

She screamed, screamed until her air was gone and her voice was hoarse, but she didn't ask for anything, not until the last, scratchy sound, "Please." Elphaba arched her hips more and spread her legs further for him. "Fiyero…"

He knew he'd get no more than "please" and he was lucky he'd gotten that much. The sound of his name from her lips in the state she was in enticed him and with a swift motion, he was inside of her. "I knew you'd beg."

"It was a small plea," she conceded, moving with him, sweat already gleaming on her. The bangs on the wall were beginning, and a shrill, angry voice shouting. But they had just barely begun. They moved in a gentle, torturesome rhythm, and Elphaba had only started to feel again the rush, the heat.

Fiyero watched her as they moved on, the look in her eyes causing him to make his attentions and speed faster, wanting to bring her that wonder as quickly and ecstatically as he could. He groaned as she wrapped her legs around him – not at his waist, but higher, allowing him even more depth (though, she almost giggled again as she thought to herself, he certainly had the capacity to go more than deep enough) – and pulled him as far as she could, unable to get enough.

She knew she must be loud; she must be crooning and carrying on uncontrollably, but she didn't care. All that mattered was feeling their hips crash together, feeling every throbbing hard inch of him, feeling him pulling slightly out of her and suddenly plunging into her again and again, feeling this pressure burning and building within her and waiting for the heavenly taste of release, a taste she soon enjoyed. Her cries of ecstasy as they reached a climax together were feral and untamed. When it was over, she hugged him close and he did the same in return. Adjusting to their sides, they fell asleep that way, Elphaba's head buried in Fiyero's chest, weak mumbles of joy soothing his ears.

He nuzzled her hair. Fiyero wanted to tell her that he loved her, now. Wasn't it about time for him to let her know? In fact, he should've let her know even before that; making love to a woman normally requires a confession of such love, though this had not. But he feared Elphaba would shrink away at his words, and so he savored the feel of her body, of holding her, of protecting her. It bothered him that he was suddenly worried that he might never have all of those sensations together again.

She shook him awake the next morning, and he was disappointed to find her dressed and out of bed. He was holding nothing. Elphaba didn't say much, only, "You'd better get dressed. It's almost time to check out."

He glanced at her; she acted as if nothing had happened the night before. From the bite mark on his shoulder and the state of the bed and sheets and blankets, he was sure it hadn't been a dream. Well, maybe she wasn't comfortable talking about it right now, he thought, and decided it would be best not to bring it up at the moment. Instead he stood up, not bothering to cover himself, which made Elphaba blush furiously and turn away. He realized that she hadn't exactly seen all of him the night before, only touched and felt everything. It had been pretty dark, even the first time. Still, he didn't like her getting uneasy. "Elphie," he teased her by calling her the name she despised so much, "you don't have to freak out. It's not as if - "

"Fiyero!" She cut him off, whirling around and glaring at him. "I know, all right? But that doesn't need to affect every single thing we do, okay?"

"It _should_ affect this." He insisted. "You don't have to get all funny about the fact that I'm standing here naked."

"Fine. I won't get funny about it. Happy?" She stared at him unflinchingly, trying to hide the way the curve of her lips turned upwards as her gaze slipped over him. "Now, you can get dressed. I don't think it would be very appropriate for you to leave the room like that, after all."

"That's true," he acknowledged, searching around for his clothes and hastily putting them on. "Is this decent enough?"

She moved closer to him, finally, and smoothed his hair, straightening out his shirt. "It is now." Immediately she was at the door.

It was almost as if nothing happened. He wasn't sure if he liked this. "Where's Glinda and Nessarose's room again?"

"They were on the first floor. We said we'd meet in the lobby so we can check out together."

"Oh," he nodded and grabbed both of their bags.

"You don't have to carry that," Elphaba began.

"But I will." He told her.

She sighed but headed out the door with him behind her. After meeting Glinda and Nessarose in the lobby, they took their keys to the front desk to check out. Two clerks were behind the desk, a young Quadling man in a tuxedo helping a short, stubby and heavy middle-aged woman, who seemed to be checking out as well. Elphaba handed the keys to the other clerk, a tiny, ageless woman. "Rooms 109 and 303," She said distractedly.

The woman being helped turned to them and eyed Elphaba and Fiyero with disgust. "So you're the couple who was up all night ruining my beauty sleep. I was in room 304. I didn't appreciate the screams and moans coming from the wall next to my bed, you know."

Glinda and Nessarose choked and looked questioningly at Elphaba and Fiyero. Elphaba reached for the receipt the clerk had handed her and motioned for Fiyero to grab their things. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken. My boyfriend and I did, indeed, share a room, but slept chastely in separate beds. We don't believe in doing that sort of thing outside of the bonds of marriage. Maybe it was the couple in room 305." With that, she grabbed Fiyero's arm and began to steer the group out of the hotel.

Before they'd completely exited the building, an elderly couple (the man in a wheelchair) emerged from the hallway. The man in the wheelchair placed the key on the clerk's desk and said, "Room 305 for check out, please."


	16. After Last Night?

**Chapter Sixteen: After Last Night?**

Fiyero held Elphaba's hand comfortingly as they waited to be admitted into the Wizard's chambers from the lobby of the Palace. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

"I know that!" She told him harshly. "I don't need you to mother me."

"I wasn't." He protested.

Elphaba stuck her nose in the air.

A guard with an emerald uniform embroidered with a _GF_ in the corner pocket strode into the lobby with a clipboard in hand. "Would the students sent by Madame Morrible, headmistress of Shiz, please step forward and present their invitations?"

The three girls did so and the guard began to lead them away. Fiyero grabbed Elphaba one last time and kissed her hard on the mouth. "Good luck."

She was too dazed to be angry until they'd passed the doors into the depths of the Palace and it would do no good. Elphaba watched Glinda and Nessa's faces as they walked solemnly down the corridor to meet the ruler of the only land they knew. Taking a deep breath, she helped push Nessa beyond the emerald and golden doors labeled so simply "Conference Room". It was so much more than that to the three young women.

The first thing she saw was a disgustingly ugly contraption that consisted of a giant metal head, maneuvered not even by sorcery but simple levers and mechanics. An uneducated imbecile would know it wasn't real. What sort of impression did this Wizard want to make on his guests, anyway? All at once the head's pulleys and springs began to move and a microphone voice echoed harshly, "State your names."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I am Elphaba, third Thropp descending. This is my younger sister Nessarose."

Glinda curtseyed daintily. "I am Glinda of the Arduennas, sir."

"You are the three aspiring students recommended by Madame Morrible?"

"Why else would we be here?" Elphaba retorted, ignoring Glinda's anxious glare.

"Ah, yes. Miss Elphaba and Miss Glinda, you are in your third year of college, am I correct?"

Glinda nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And Nessarose is in her second?"

Nessa spoke for the first time in the room, "Yes."

"Madame Morrible speaks, well, highly of you." The voice boomed.

Elphaba bit back a comment and decided to cut to the chase. "Why are we here?"

"I wanted to see you, watch you speak and act, before I choose to hire you. Now, this creates a slight dilemma. You see, I was thinking of dividing up Oz. I'd still be in charge of all of it, of course, but each of you girls would handle the majority of ruling and report back to me yearly. However, since Miss Nessarose and Miss Elphaba are sisters, I assume they will both reside in the East. Miss Glinda would handle the North, I the South, but now I do not know what I shall do to keep the West of Oz in check."

Glinda piped up. "Well, you see, sir, Elphaba's dating a prince from the Vinkus and they've been together for a year. They very well may get married…"

"Glinda!" Elphaba exclaimed.

"So she could preside over the West, since the Vinkus is in the middle of the Western Ozian territory, sir."

"Is this true, Miss Elphaba?"

"I am… involved with the prince of the Arjiki tribe, yes. I, however, was not currently considering marriage." Elphaba said haughtily.

"Perhaps you should. With or without the delegation of being an advisor, marrying your prince of whatever tribe may well put you in a decent situation of power. And power, my dear, is always a good thing to have and put to use."

"I see, but sometimes the wrong people can be in control of such power, your Ozness. In fact, even Madame Morrible - "

"Elphie, what are you thinking?" Glinda whispered, poking Elphaba in the side.

Ignoring Glinda, Elphaba continued. "Even Madame Morrible may be abusing her power. It wasn't widely publicized, but have you heard about the murder of the last outstanding Animal professor at Shiz?"

"Ah, yes, that doctor so keen on causing trouble."

"How was he causing trouble?"

"This _Animal_ you speak of, was he not going around trying to prove the equality of Animals?"

Elphaba cocked her head. "Well, yes. How is that harmful, sir?"

"Miss Elphaba, we can't have an uproar. People don't like change. It's been hard enough weeding _out_ the Animals. If they fought it, it would bring too much attention to it, would cause too much disturbance. Citizens could even grow to dislike the government they are under, and that would make it quite difficult to rule a country."

"Rule? I thought we weren't a complete dictatorship?" Elphaba was suddenly uneasy.

"No, not at all." The voice coughed. "It will be especially different soon enough, if you three _women_ can prove yourselves worthy enough to take on some of my power. I want you, no doubt, to finish school and then head out into the world for a year, wherever that may be and whoever that may be with, single or married."

Elphaba tapped her foot unhappily. "And then we should return?"

"And then I will call for you, when that time comes. We shall see then if you are completely worthy, and then the decision shall be made. You may leave."

"Wait, sir?"

The head had about shut down it's creaking movement, but popped back into motion again. "What, Miss Elphaba?"

"Are you saying that it was all right for Madame Morrible to have possibly had Dr. Dillamond murdered just because he was a slight threat to perfect political calm?"

"You know who you work for, Miss Elphaba, you know the answer."

The same guard that had taken them down the hallway appeared to lead them back. Rage boiled in Elphaba's heart as they trudged back to the lobby, where Fiyero was, as always, waiting for her. She didn't speak.

Glinda began chattering, filling Fiyero in on the announcement about their occupations that the Wizard had made (leaving out the intended marriage proposal she had suggested for the couple). Nessa added the slight bit about Elphaba's question about the Animals as Elphaba stood brooding near the exit of the Palace.

Fiyero smiled at her. "That's wonderful, that you may become an advisor to the Wizard!" His smile faded as she didn't respond. "Aren't you excited?"

"No. I'm not. I don't think I'll do it."

Every one of her friends looked at her then. "What?"

"Did you not understand what he said? He approved, maybe even allowed or ordered Madame Morrible to get rid of Dr. Dillamond. I can't work for that government! I can't work for her." Elphaba's face changed. "The carriages are packed. Let's get moving." She strode out the Palace doors and headed around the corner, where the carriages had been instructed to wait for them.

Fiyero followed quickly. "Elphaba, what is wrong?"

"He's doing it, Fiyero, don't you understand? That one little comment you made was right. He isn't not being told of it; he's the one who's doing it! The Animals aren't just being oppressed because some stupid political group chose to be discriminatory. No, it's because the Wizard is!"

Glinda, pushing Nessa, reached the corner. "We'll discuss this when we return, all right? I think we should get on our way, now."

"Yes, you get on your way," Elphaba said distantly.

"You mean 'we'," Fiyero corrected nervously.

"No. I won't be coming with. I can't go back."

Glinda blinked and opened her mouth, but found herself unable to come up with words to argue her best friend's seemingly random decision to leave them. Nessa looked as if she were in the same state.

Fiyero, on the other hand, was quick to pull Elphaba to him and protest. "No! You can't just quit Shiz, Elphaba."

"I can do what I want! I have nothing to study for anymore. Nothing I do in college will make a difference to any of this. I can't just sit back and watch!"

"You can't just leave us, either!" He pushed.

"I…" She looked up into his eyes, faltering for a moment. But she could not let emotion get to her, no. He may be the only man who would care about her at all, but she didn't think that was her priority at the moment. "I'm sorry. You don't understand."

"You're right; I can't possibly understand why you'd be willing to just leave your sister, your best friend, and to leave me. I thought I mattered more than that. I thought they mattered more than that."

"Fiyero, don't." She wouldn't cry. "I care about all of you, I do. But I can't sit still. I can't endure this."

"You'll leave me after last night, Elphaba?" He didn't want to say it in front of everyone else; he didn't want to bring it up, but he had to.

Glinda and Nessa gasped, horrified.

Elphaba balked. "How dare you? What do you think you're doing? I can't believe you have the nerve to… ugh!" Swiftly, she whirled around, intent on heading back into the city with her bag, without them.

But he caught her. Fiyero wrapped an arm around her waist and would not let her go. He held her to him and pleaded with her in soft tones, "Please don't do this to me."

She turned in his arms to face him, and he only hugged her closer. Her face pressed against his chest, his smell engulfing her, and memories along with that. The first time they'd kissed; or all of the times he'd tried to coax her into admitting her feelings for him; or the way that, the previous night, just as he was poised above her, between her legs, when she'd looked at him, seen the size and the length of him and gotten nervous, he'd offered even then to stop, even then to wait, though she had, of course, refused; or the way he'd looked at her as they'd begun to make love for the first time (that was the first time she'd called it "making love"); or the gentleness he'd used until she'd pressed him into moving faster; or the sadness in his eyes that morning when she'd tried to avoid him. "Fiyero, please," she whispered.

"I love you," he murmured desperately.

Elphaba looked up into his eyes, opened her mouth, and promptly fainted.


	17. Those Damned Words

**Chapter Seventeen: Those Damned Words**

She woke in a moving carriage, blinking and finding only darkness. For a moment, she panicked, thinking she'd somehow gone blind. But then the realization that it was night and that the carriage was unlit came to her, and the sting of liquid on her scalp reminded her what had woken her in the first place. Elphaba wiggled in someone's arms and reached up to touch the cheek where the liquid, no doubt a tear, had likely come from. As her eyes adjusted slightly, Fiyero's facial features came into view, though she could not tell in the bad light if he was indeed crying. Her arm darted about trying to find a light, to reveal this. Brightness soon stung her eyes.

"Elphaba…" He murmured, looking at her with moist eyes, proving to her that he had been the source of the tear. "Are you okay?"

They were alone. Thanks to Fiyero's money, they had gotten two carriages and hadn't had to share them with anyone, as it had been on the way to the city, as well. Elphaba struggled to understand what was going on as the day came back to her, and resentment built. "What are you crying for? You've got me, probably far away enough from the city so that even if I left the carriage I couldn't escape, and you took me out of there. I can't leave you now. Aren't you happy?" She spat.

"I'd be happy if I didn't feel like I had to force you to leave." He said quietly. "I'd be happy if I thought you cared for me enough not to have even considered any of that."

Guilt trip! The words were practically flashing neon in her brain, yet she succumbed to his words. "Fiyero, you know you mean a lot to me. But an idle hand grows restless. What am I supposed to do?"

"What you were going to do! Become what Morrible wants you to become, get a good position…"

"And become some cold-hearted government Wizard's bitch?" She retorted.

"And change things from there, from within. No violence needed. No need to run away, or live alone or leave me. Focus on that."

In all her rage, her fury, Elphaba had not, in fact, considered what Fiyero suggested. But how much could she do from a position she wasn't even guaranteed, a position that could be almost worthless, no less than secretarial duty? As a woman in a sexist society, could she really change much without the means she'd meant to use? She shuddered as Fiyero kissed her forehead. "But…"

"But what? Please." His expression was hurt, was begging. He looked… helpless.

"I can't promise you that I won't end up there and find myself useless. But I'll work for that, for a while. I'll stay at Shiz, let Morrible think she's using me as a pawn, then let the Wizard think the same. From there, we'll see what happens, all right?"

Relief flooded him and he tightened his arms around her. "Thank you. I love you."

_He loves me_. She could say nothing and left the carriage in silence. Why hadn't she seen these words coming? They'd shocked her so much the first time that she'd fainted, after all. Wouldn't it only make sense that he would say this, though? They had made love, held each other at night… but plenty of people could do that just for pleasure and never need the words Fiyero had just used. Elphaba adjusted herself in his arms and kissed him warmly. "Oh, Fiyero."

"Are you going to respond?" He asked softly.

Damn him! Why did he feel such a need to press her into these things? What made him ask her such questions that she was uncomfortable with? And lastly, why couldn't she just tell him the truth? She loved him, didn't she? He meant more to her than she could bear to admit or understand. Was there something about those things that made it impossible to say? "Sorry. I…" Suddenly, anger fired her again. "Fiyero, why'd you have to say that?"

"What?"

"I could've gotten away. I could've gone on, become my own self…"

"Become terrible and hardened!" He protested.

"If you hadn't had to say those damned words! Any girl would go weak at the knees hearing that from the man she loves, and you just had to do it to me, to prove that I'm normal, too. That I'm more normal than what I pretend."

"'The man she loves'?"

"Yes, Fiyero. I love you. Of course I love you! What kind of idiot are you? Do you think I'd have let you use your hands to cause the virginal blood, let you take me, let you make love to me twice in one night if I didn't love you?"

"People do crazy things." He said.

"True," she sighed. "But you should know me better."

"For all I knew, you could've done all of those things so you wouldn't have to say it, so you'd have an excuse to harbor some rage towards me, so you'd have a reason not to love me because I'd taken you without saying it, or taken you at all."

Elphaba wanted to find something in those words to loathe, to protest, but he had every right to have thought those things. If she did dispute him, she thought, he'd probably be less forgiving. He'd dealt enough with her coldness and staunch attitude already that day to be able to strain himself with much more. She imagined it had taken all the restraint he had not to fight back by then. "So…"

"Nessarose, Glinda and I had a talk before we split up into the carriages, while we were making sure you'd be all right. They're unhappy, Nessa especially, about what I alluded happened between us, and there was no denying it at that point, not after the hotel and everything. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"You felt you had to," she stated.

"I did."

"I guess it worked, in a way, didn't it?"

"I wish I hadn't had to say any of that." He retorted, not necessarily mad at her, but disappointed.

"I've apologized and confessed my love for you, what more do you want from me?" Elphaba demanded.

"Nothing," he decided. "There isn't anything that can change what happened and change how I think you feel about me."

"Fiyero, you don't understand. I could love you more than anyone in the world, more than I'll ever love anyone, but it's hard for me not to do something when I feel something is unfair, even if it means leaving everything that matters to me. I'd have offered to take you with, but you'd be in danger. I'd rather have known you'd grown older, married some ugly hag, had a few kids and never been hurt than to have you come with me and be killed. What I was going to do wasn't exactly safe."

"I don't care about being safe!"

"And that was exactly the problem. You'd have been killed and I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

"And you'd have been able to live with leaving me?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. When I get angry and determined, I don't always think things all the way through, okay?"

"I'm glad you can admit that," he grudged her.

Lazily, she ran a finger along his cheek. "I'm sorry." After a pause, she asked, "What else did Glinda and Nessa have to say?"

"Well, Nessa said something along the lines of 'I'm absolutely disgusted at my sister for participating in fornication, and, though I didn't think you were devoutly religious in any sense, either, Fiyero, I can't believe you pressed her into it,'" Fiyero put on a stern expression and stopped moving his hands.

"I'll have to explain to her that no one pressed anyone into anything."

"Let her think what she wants. I don't care."

"No, it's fine. I'll talk to her. Did she threaten to tell my father or anything?"

"Actually, no. She seemed disturbed, a bit surprised, but not as terrified and shocked as she could have."

"What about Glinda?"

"After we loaded Nessa into the carriage, the three of us got into a discussion as to whether or not you and I should be left alone to share the same carriage again. I pointed out that it would be very uncomfortable to, as Nessa says, 'fornicate' in a carriage, so it wouldn't be an issue. Besides, we didn't know when you'd wake up. Anyway, then we had a nice little discussion about the room-sharing situation. You know, Nessa saying 'I thought you two could be trusted together, but apparently not,' and me arguing that we could be trusted together, but it depended on what she trusted of us, and her making a face at me. I managed to remind them that in the hotels along the way back were less crowded and that we'd have a room next to them, so they'd hear it if anything happened. There are two twin beds, too."

"Two twin beds didn't stop us in the city," Elphaba said softly.

"Maybe it won't stop us tonight. I don't know. It seemed to comfort Nessa enough. But, as I was saying, Glinda bit her lip and looked at me. She seemed to think I was going to hurt you. She claimed she trusted me, but that after you fainting, she didn't know."

"I fainted because you said 'I love you' and she thinks that means you'll hurt me?" Elphaba was dumbfounded.

"I don't think she heard what I said. She might not even know I said anything."

"Oh."

"But I think we'll be sharing a room tonight. You don't have to sleep next to me or with me if you don't want to." He said gently.

"We'll see when we…" Elphaba was jolted in his arms a little as the carriage came to a definitive halt.

The door opened and the driver looked at the couple. "Ah, your companion is awake, sir?"

Fiyero nodded. "She's doing fine."

"Good to hear. Well, we're done for the night. Your overnight bags are out of the carriage and we've parked beside the hotel." The bearded man informed them.

Elphaba watched Glinda get out of the carriage next to them and pounced out to help her get Nessa. Her friend looked at her disappointedly and Elphaba whispered, "I'm sorry. I would've told you, in time; I just didn't want to share it yet. It's very private and personal, even more so right afterwards. It seemed odd to say anything about it; it was something only meant for the knowledge of Fiyero and I."

"You could've just mentioned it. I wouldn't have forced you to give details."

"You would've said something," Elphaba insisted.

"Maybe." Glinda muttered.

"Glinda, really. Sex is something very secret. It's not as impersonal as I thought it would be. I still don't want to talk about it, all right?"

"Are you going to do it again tonight?"

"Honestly, Glinda? I don't know. I doubt we'll be doing it all of the time, especially once we're back at Shiz. It isn't all that matters to us. It never was. Please, don't be angry with me."

They'd loaded Nessa into her wheelchair and Glinda just glanced at Elphaba somewhat understandingly. This soothed Elphaba enough to continue on her task of explanation and to face her sister. Nessa only glared at her. "First you date a heathen, then you lose your virginity to him before marrying. You have no idea how frustrated I am with this, and how Father would be, too."

"You aren't going to tell him, are you?"

"I don't have the mind to at the moment, no. How could you allow him to do this to you?"

"He did it to me? Excuse me? It was certainly not anyone doing anything to anyone else; it was two people doing something _together_, mutually and agreeably. He did not force me or even pressure me. I chose to do it just as much as he did. That's all I feel I have to say to you, Nessa." Elphaba began pushing Nessa's wheelchair (with Nessa's bag draped over it) into the hotel lobby, Glinda following with her bag, Fiyero with both Elphaba's and his own. She propped the wheelchair against the front desk and named the reservation number, getting the keys.

Fiyero came up beside her and mumbled, "If they have that much of an issue with us sharing a room, I can share one with Nessa and you can have some time to talk to Glinda."

"As if that wouldn't be awkward for you. Think of the nasty little comments she'd make every other moment. Besides, whoever stays with Nessa has to help her dress. I don't think that'd be very appropriate." Elphaba told him. "And you are certainly not sharing a room with Glinda. I won't put up with Nessa's scorn for the entire night. We're sharing a room."

Glinda silently wheeled Nessa down the hall and the couple followed. Standing at doors right next to each other, each of them eyed all of the others and then dispersed into their separate rooms. Fiyero wondered what would come of this night.


	18. Quiet Sins

**Chapter Eighteen: Quiet Sins**

There was a bed facing the wall that separated Fiyero and Elphaba's room from Glinda and Nessa's and there was one facing the other wall. Fiyero placed his and Elphaba's bags in the middle of the room and sat down on the second bed, not inviting Elphaba to join him nor rejecting her if she would wish to do so. "How'd it go?"

She noted that he'd lowered his voice somewhat, not sure how much was audible through the walls. Elphaba didn't bother to change her tone; she figured, if anything, they could hear talking, but not specific words. An image came into her mind of her sister and Glinda pressing their ears against the wall desperately, and she chuckled. "It went as expected, I guess. Nessa's ready to kill me and Glinda's mad I didn't tell her."

"Would you have told her?"

"Eventually, I guess. I'm still not ready to talk about it with anyone else. Is that weird?"

"No." He assured her. "Why share this with someone else so quickly? This is between us."

She did not choose a bed immediately, but knelt to her bag and opened it, searching for her oils. "That's how I felt."

They hadn't turned on the lights when they'd walked in, and he didn't bother turning one on as she searched. He wasn't sure of her comfort level and thus left the lighting to her discretion. Fiyero's eyes widened when she simply undressed in the middle of the room (though she wasn't very visible in the darkness), her form standing there bare as she opened the bottle of oil. His mouth went dry.

Her eyes darted to the windows, assuring herself that the curtains were closed as she had observed them to be. With that, she began to smooth oil onto her skin, beginning with her arms and continuing to her shoulders, her torso, and struggling blindly to cover her entire back.

He stood up without saying anything and took the bottle from her as she stood completely still, holding out her arms so he could access each crevice easily. Slowly, he rubbed her arms down again, her shoulders, her back, sliding around to her stomach and then up to her breasts. His hands moved sensuously, caressing and fondling carefully. When she moaned softly, he pressed his mouth to hers, whispering, "You'd better be more cautious. We wouldn't want them to hear that, would we?"

She nodded vigorously, watching his hands helplessly as they made their way around her back again, squeezing her buttocks, teasing the skin. Undoubtedly they would soon return to her front, delve into her and cause her to stifle cries that could become wild and indiscreet. Elphaba covered her mouth with her own hands as his did just what she'd expected; she quickly found herself biting down hard on her knuckles.

He spent more time than needed between her legs, and by the time he was done there was liquid dripping down them from her arousal, and it was more than just oil. With a cupped hand, he cleaned that away using oil as well and nonchalantly slipped his hands to her thighs, calves and feet. "Feeling a bit cleaner?"

"Very much." She replied. Elphaba began unbuttoning Fiyero's shirt, counting the buttons playfully. It was a slow process, but she enjoyed every moment even the tiniest bit of diamond-coated skin was revealed, and she knew implicitly that he found it pleasurable as well. Her hands began unceremonious work loosening his trousers, and Fiyero licked her neck as she ran her hands over him.

At last, when he felt he could take no more and would burst if he didn't prevent her from moving on, he took both of her hands in his and led her to his bed. "Old habits die hard, huh?"

"This hasn't become a habit. We're doing it a lot, yes, but it's new to us and exciting to us. Of course we would behave this way."

"Exciting it is," Fiyero murmured, laying her out on the bed and placing his hands in every nook and cranny of her body that he could discover. "In fact, I'm so exhilarated that I'm getting a bit dehydrated. I hate to pause our little adventure, but I need a sip of something sweet."

She knew what was coming, but still she almost yelped when he pushed her legs apart and took folds of skin into his mouth. "Oh, wow…" He was insistent on doing this often, wasn't he? Fiyero had brought her up and over almost twice now, before even starting, and he had gotten no release yet himself. Thinking about this, she tenderly slipped a hand between his mouth and her center and said, "Wait. Lie back."

He looked at her questioningly but did as he was told. "As you wish. Ask and you shall receive."

"Ah, no, we'll both be receiving in a moment," Elphaba grinned. She'd never put her mouth on him before and, frankly, the thought of performing oral sex disgusted her (though being the one it was performed on hadn't bothered her much). Nonetheless, she positioned herself so her lips were in just the right place, and his were quite close, too. Licking her lips sensually, she parted them and began her effort on him, hoping she could please him as he did her, though she'd never tried this before. Then again, if he was to be believed, and he was, he'd never used his mouth the way he did before, either, and he'd done more than content her.

He groaned in surprise. "Elphaba…" But he found the convenient placing of his mouth just then and dove his tongue into the familiar folds, working her until he could no longer endure the torment anymore and pulled back slightly for a moment as warm liquid flooded Elphaba's mouth. "Sweet Oz," he waited until she had swallowed her burden and finished what he'd been doing to her, shuddering as she buried her face in his upper thigh to muffle the cries. Sweetness poured into his mouth and he drank it greedily. "God, you taste so good."

She lost control, then. "Fiyero!" She couldn't stop herself, the scream echoed around the room, her legs flailing, body trembling from aftershock.

They both looked at each other for a short moment, knowing they hadn't locked the door, at Nessa and Glinda's request, knowing that her cry would bring one or both of them rushing into the room. Fiyero hurried, "I'd love to lie like this with you for hours, but…" He didn't finish. With more than a tiny amount of regret, he pulled away and hopped across the room, tugging on the trousers at the foot of the bed and kicking Elphaba's clothes underneath the four legs enough so they weren't too visible. When Nessa and Glinda entered the room (hindered by Nessa's resolve to get into her wheelchair), he was stroking the forehead of a shivering Elphaba (who was covered up to her chin with the blanket, no nudity visible or implied). "Are you all right? You yelled my name a moment ago, Elphie."

They took his disheveled appearance to mean that he'd been sleeping in his own bed (though they failed to notice that the bed he should've been in was untouched). Glinda approached the bed timidly. "Did you have a nightmare, Elphie?"

Elphaba was not slow in the least. She knew exactly what Fiyero had been trying to do, knew it could work and went along with it. "I… Fiyero… I was having this dream where we were at Shiz and Fiyero and I were walking together and suddenly two men came out of nowhere and started beating him. When he was unconscious or something, they turned on me and started," she pretended to quiver, "touching me."

Fiyero's face twisted into concern so real Elphaba had trouble recalling that it was only a ploy. "It's all right. I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you, okay?"

Cleverly, Elphaba tossed beneath the blanket. "I'm scared. Could you hold me?"

Nessa and Glinda made eye contact and backed out of the room. "We were just making sure that everything was okay," Nessa explained quickly, "and that nothing sinful was going on."

"Aside from those evil men in my dream, nothing is." Elphaba affirmed. "Goodnight, Nessie. Goodnight, Glinda."

They were gone.

"Nice." Fiyero leapt out of his clothes and onto the bed.

"It was your idea. I was just going along with it." She tugged the blankets away and revealed her body again. "That was easy." Collapsing back on the bed next to him, she met his eyes and reached for him eagerly. He did not hesitate to comply.

He drove into her instantly, plummeting quickly into her depths and her body engulfed him, welcomed him by tightening around him readily. Barely able to keep his own voice at a small enough volume, he reminded her, "Now, remember, try and keep as quiet as possible. I don't want to find out what Nessa and Glinda will do if they hear us."

Lifting her hips to meet his, she said, "I know, Fiyero." She dropped her head back against the sheets as the burning began, "Oh, but it's so hard."

"What's so hard? Keeping silent or my…"

"Fiyero!" She hissed harshly. "Both of them are excruciatingly hard." There was no way she could talk like this without it happening; joking about it or complimenting it wasn't something she thought appropriate or would normally do. Elphaba couldn't believe the things his rapid thrusts could do to her. "Ooh!" Her sounds came out as barely a squeak as she expressed her gratification in his movements and body. "Are you sure you hadn't done this before me?"

"Positive," he answered, sweating as he sank into her with full force time and time again. "Absolutely…" he panted, "certain…"

"Then how can you make me feel this damned good so easily?" She pleaded, hips bucking like a frightened horse, eyes clenched shut with both the difficulty of not crying out and rapture at the heights he brought her to.

"Easily? Are you crazy, Elphaba? This drives me mad with longing, with the need to just let loose into you and…" He wheezed for air as he made the final heave, embedding himself so deep inside her that she scratched at his back in uncontrolled elation, the final pump of ecstasy she felt as he practically rammed into her taking her over the edge and even further.

Later, they were lying spent, him still immersed in her core. "I love you." He murmured before sleep.

She didn't respond, her discomfort for the words proving too large for her to use the words again. After all, she'd said it once, why say it again? Elphaba didn't need to repeat it, really. Feebly, she kissed his shoulders and hid her face in his chest, disturbed by the realization that she only felt whole when he was inside her, that she only relaxed when she was laying with him. When she cried out in her sleep, Fiyero hugged her and stilled her fears, keeping their bodies entwined until well after dawn, their most private areas pressed together, unable to let each other go. And when Glinda and Nessa opened the door, that's how they were sleeping.


	19. Unfair Trick?

**Chapter Nineteen: Unfair Trick?**

The two girls stood there for a minute, needing no explanation of why the two were positioned that way. Each girl was troubled in her way by the fact that, though Fiyero and Elphaba were lying with everything exposed, with vulgar acts in open air and sexual fluids dried on their bodies, there was something oddly beautiful about them, something strangely romantic and… dare they call it… pure?

Neither of them knew what to make of the nightmarish display the night before, either. Had that been just some sort of folly to fool the two into thinking it was perfectly fine for Fiyero to get into bed with Elphaba, or had they truly meant to lie in each other's arms innocently, but some fire had started and needed to explode and fade? Nessa, obviously unsettled by the sight of her sister and Fiyero in a sexual situation, much less them actually still, in a way, having sex, left the room immediately, while Glinda stood for a moment longer, straining to understand.

What had changed in Elphie? How had Fiyero weaseled his way so far into her life, her trust, that she would lose herself to him and lie vulnerable beneath or beside him? Nothing broke Elphaba's defenses, Glinda thought, nothing. Why had Fiyero gotten into her mind (and her body) so easily? Were they really in love or were they just hormonal college students consumed by desire? She didn't know. Shaking her head, Glinda left the room and began to dress and head down for breakfast.

There were two more nights left of the trip, each of them including hotel stays. During the carriage ride, Nessa and Glinda discussed in brief, unimaginative words whether or not to say anything about their findings that morning, and if it was right to leave the couple to repeat these activities for two more nights. In the other carriage, Fiyero and Elphaba slept often and cuddled chastely. They assumed that no one had any inkling what they'd really done for the majority of last night.

However, when they entered the lobby, Glinda and Nessa's faces were grim, though Elphaba and Fiyero seemed a bit refreshed after their naps. Nessa, being more adamant about almost everything, said, before reaching the clerk's desk, "I think maybe you two should be in separate rooms."

Fiyero looked at Elphaba, who had a telling look of dread and guilt on her face. "Why? We haven't had a problem."

"This morning…" Glinda said timidly.

"When we found you two, you were still in the act of sex, sleeping, but still in the act. Apparently you'd been in that arrangement all night. I don't think having sex all night is not having a problem," Nessa stated bluntly.

"What's the point?" Elphaba huffed. "What's done is done! Isn't it the same thing, doing it once and doing it several times? It's not as if we'll be able to have that sort of time together when we return to Shiz."

"It's the same thing, once or a hundred times? Could you say the same thing for a murderer?" Nessa retorted

"Well… no. This is different."

"It's a sin, all the same."

"Forget it. You can't force us to sleep in separate rooms," Elphaba pointed out hastily. "We're of age, and most of this is _his_ parents' money, so I don't think you can really do anything about it."

"I can write to father." Nessa threatened as Glinda wheeled her after Elphaba and Fiyero towards the desk.

Elphaba got the keys and looked at her sister. "Go ahead." She tossed Glinda the other keys and took Fiyero's hand, heading into the maze of rooms.

Glinda and Nessa followed after, somewhat speechless. After a long time, Nessa said, "Fine. I believe I will write to father."

"Good for you," Elphaba snapped. Reading numbers off the doors, she slowed to a halt at the room she would share with Fiyero, noting that Nessa and Glinda's was, again, just next door. In fact, there was a door in between them, in the case that the occupants of the two rooms were a family wishing to be able to check on each other. But the door could only be opened if both sides of it were unlocked, and Elphaba had no plans of doing such a thing.

"I can't believe you don't care if Father loses respect for you! I was only trying to scare you, Elphaba, but seeing that you won't care, I think I'll actually tell him."

"As I said, do what you will," Elphaba yanked open the door and shoved Fiyero into the room, "I'll just go enjoy a good hour or so fornicating, then."

Once she'd put her bag down, Fiyero kissed her and gazed down at her. "You don't have to do that. I can't imagine what your father would do if he knew that you'd…"

"I do have to." Elphaba argued, arms wrapped around him. "I'm not going to let his or Nessa's beliefs control my life anymore. I'm done."

"But what if he takes you out of Shiz?"

"I'm halfway through; it would be a waste of money. If he did, though, I wouldn't come home."

"You'd run away to the city." He said knowingly.

"Probably."

"Without me?"

She closed her eyes. "What else could I do, Fiyero?"

"I don't know. See if I can talk my parents into giving me enough money for a small apartment near Shiz where you could stay?"

"And how would your parents feel about that? I don't think they'd approve of you renting a place for your girlfriend who can't attend college because her father found out she was having sex with you." Elphaba reminded him.

"I said I'd talk them into giving me enough money. I never said I'd tell them exactly what I was using it for." He grinned.

"Look, let's not worry about it. I doubt it'll happen anyway, all right? I just can't believe Nessa's being such a brat right now." Elphaba sat down at the edge of the bed that Fiyero had already placed his things near.

"I know how we could scare her a bit."

"How?"

"We could go really close to the wall between the rooms and shout dirty things like we're having sex." He suggested.

"Oh, like what?" Elphaba wasn't so sure she'd agree to this idea, but she was amused at the prospect.

"Obscene sort of things. Things you wouldn't consider even whispering during sex. Vulgar terms, you know, that sort of thing. Like, I'd start with something like," he lowered his voice, "'Oh, Elphaba, baby, please let me,' and you'd be like 'Fiyero, oh, please, harder,' or something." He shrugged.

That did sound dreadfully tempting and quite funny, but she could barely talk about such things with _him_. Making any sort of talk about it, especially something so very…coarse, wasn't something she was comfortable with, even if she was supposed to be joking. "I don't think so. She probably already thinks we are." Elphaba couldn't help but smile at that; she could only imagine the horror in her sister's eyes.

Fiyero playfully shook the bed nearest the wall, just for effect. Elphaba glared at him, but burst into helpless giggles.

They collapsed in each other's arms, muffling laughter. They were then silent, listening for anything from the other room. Nessa was crying.

Elphaba sat up in alarm. "I didn't mean to make her cry." She scrambled out of bed and to the door.

"Elphaba, don't." Fiyero stopped her.

She looked despairingly towards the room her sister and Glinda were sharing. "I know, but I can't leave her like that! We only meant to freak her out. Now she probably thinks I'm some whore who has rough sex with anyone who asks, Fiyero."

He dropped her arm. "True. Then go and talk to her."

Elphaba trudged into Nessa and Glinda's room, Fiyero in tow behind her. "Nessie, what's wrong?"

"Glinda, let me look at her," Nessa demanded, trying to maneuver herself so she could see past the tissues that Glinda had been pressing to her eyes. When she was able to glare at her sister, she said, "Oh, I believe you very well know what's wrong. I'm disgusted with you. I never thought you were like that, even when I found out what you'd done."

Elphaba sat on the edge of her sister's bed, Fiyero sitting beside her, still not letting his arms slip from her waist. "I'm not."

"Nessa," Fiyero began, "we weren't really having sex just now. It was my idea and I'm sorry. I thought it would be funny to scare you, but Elphaba heard you crying when we stopped pretending and she felt bad, as she should, though I should feel worse. I apologize."

"_We_ apologize," Elphaba amended.

Nessa studied her sister and Fiyero, coming to the conclusion that they were too appropriately dressed for such a small amount of time to have passed between what she'd heard and that moment. "That was a awfully rude trick, you know."

"I know." Elphaba hung her head.

"It's my fault. I came up with it." Fiyero said. "It was rude of me. I talked Elphaba into it; it's not her fault."

Elphaba said, "Look, we're sorry. I'm really sorry. We were just being stupid. It's really nothing like that. I won't tell you what it is like, but it's nothing so crude. The way you look at it, though, we figured you probably think it's just as bad as we made it sound."

"It is, even if you aren't shoving a bed against the wall. Fornication is wrong, dear sister. To go so far as to joke or talk about it in even the small comment you made is very uncouth," Nessa scolded.

As guilty as Elphaba felt for what she and Fiyero had done, she couldn't help but feel a bit angry with her sister. "I am not your daughter; I can make my own decisions about what's wrong and what's not."

Fiyero didn't say anything. He and Glinda looked at each other, Glinda almost laughing, too. Tension spread between the two sisters, but Fiyero and Glinda still believed that the joke had been just the least bit funny. Glinda had been utterly appalled by what she'd heard, but knowing it wasn't real (it did sound like the sort of thing you'd find a teenage boy reading in some erotic novel, after all), comforted her and enlightened her to the hilarity of it.

Nessa noted Glinda's shaking with silent chuckles beside her and turned to glare at her. "I can't believe any of you!"

Fiyero and Elphaba decided it was best for them just to go back to their room. Nessa would probably never come close to accepting it. To their credit, Elphaba and Fiyero did little more than hold one another that night, whispering lazy conversation.

But in the middle of a discussion about how awkward it could get if, in addition to writing to their father, Nessa informed Nanny of the "sin" Elphaba had committed, Elphaba cut herself off and said, "Will it still be the same as it was before?"

"Of course not. We've… things have changed between us. You know that." He looked at her closely, slightly bewildered.

"I know _that_," she clarified, "that's not what I meant. Now that we, well, you know, and back at Shiz we won't be able to, um, do certain things that often, will you still want to be around me so much? Will we still spend as much time together _not_, uh, doing it, the way we used to?" She gazed up at him, feeling a bit vulnerable.

"Why wouldn't we? I haven't lost interest in your company, Elphaba. It's not as if that's the only thing that I love about you."

"It isn't? Then how come you only told me that you loved me after we'd had sex?" She challenged.

"_You_ didn't say it any earlier," he pointed out swiftly. "Hell, you might never have said it at all if I hadn't pushed you to. I didn't say it before because I thought you'd react badly. I was waiting for some sign that you wouldn't just close yourself off if I did say it. I only actually told you when I did out of desperation. You were running away from me no matter what; it couldn't hurt if I admitted it. Elphaba, I'd felt that way for a long time; I was too scared to tell you, that's all. What are you trying to accuse me of, using you for sex?" A little peeved and quite hurt, Fiyero tore his arm from around her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No!" She protested, placing a hand on his forearm. "I just didn't understand, and that was the only solution that came to mind. I didn't truly think that you would do that, but I had to bring it up. I'm sorry." Elphaba kissed him on the cheek and placed a hand there, too. "You know that I trust what you say."

He unfolded his arms warily, but took her into them again nonetheless. "I didn't behave like that was all I wanted from you, did I?"

"Not at all." She said solemnly. Almost shyly, she then asked, "Fiyero, could we maybe, like, when we get back, almost act as if none of this trip – including the journey there – happened, at least not the sexual stuff?"

"Sure," he promised her, kissing her sweetly. "Whatever you want."


	20. Never in Public!

**Chapter Twenty: Never in Public!**

As Fiyero and Elphaba had jokingly dreaded, Nessa not only wrote to Elphaba and her father about Elphaba's "wicked" activities during the Emerald City trip, she had Nanny "proofread" it. Nanny's reaction was not as harsh as Elphaba had predicted it might be, though.

Putting down the angel-adorned stationary of Nessa's letter, Nanny raised her eyebrows towards Elphaba, whom Nessa had called into the room adjoined with Elphaba and Glinda's, insisting she stayed until Nanny had finished reading. "So, young Elphaba decided she was curious about sex and, instead of taking the words of a book as the truth, chose to go and find out everything for herself." Striding to the chair that her older, greener ward was sitting in, Nanny forced Elphaba's chin up and looked into her great-granddaughter's eyes. "It was the Winkie boy you're seeing, I presume?"

"Didn't Nessa specify in her 'report' to Father?" Elphaba didn't even blink.

"Well, she wrote," Nanny picked up the pure white paper again, "'on the night before the official visit with the Wizard, apparently Elphaba and her boyfriend, who was staying in the same room as she but, they claimed, slept in the second bed, committed the sin of fornication, which they repeated at least once on the hotel stays of the return trip,'" Nanny quoted. "She goes on to explain how she first discovered what you'd done – by admission of said boyfriend in a feeble attempt to convince you against running away – and also describes the way she found the two of you one morning."

Elphaba winced. "Doesn't that tell you enough?"

"Mostly. She did say that it was your boyfriend. I'm just confirming for myself."

"You have your confirmation, then." Elphaba answered simply.

"Very well." Nanny put her hands on her hips. "So, what would you and this young man…" Nanny was interrupted by a knock on the door in the next room.

Elphaba stood up hastily and opened the door. "Fiyero." She almost brightened into a smile, but it faded quicker than it came. Nanny had followed her and was tapping her foot expectantly. "Fiyero, did I ever tell you that you have the strangest timing?"

"I was just stopping by to give you this," he brought his arm out from behind his back. "Remember how I told you I'd gotten you something for Lurlinemas but I'd forgotten it back at the dorm?"

"Oh!" Elphaba took the medium-sized box he handed her and hugged him. "Thank you."

"You don't have to open it while I'm here if you don't want. I'll just be heading back to my dorm…"

"Nonsense, dearie." Nanny burst in. "Why don't you sit down for a bit? It's awfully cold outside. It would be silly for you to have made the trip all the way over to Crage and not spend a moment or two getting warmed up. We were just talking about you, coincidentally."

Elphaba wanted to die right then and there, but she simply turned and led Fiyero into the room. He sat down as he had so many times, on the edge of her bed and waited for her to sit next to him, confused when she didn't. "Wait, you were talking about me?"

Nanny cackled. "Don't worry, young man, it was nothing mean. I was just inquiring about the status of your relationship with my Fabala. You two have been seeing each other for some time now, haven't you?"

"A little over a year," Fiyero answered, giving Elphaba a look. What was wrong with her, anyway?

"That's quite a long time. Any plans for marriage?"

"Nanny!" Elphaba exclaimed, horrified. "We're only in the middle of our third year in college, we have more than an entire year to complete. There's no need to make such plans." She placed the gift Fiyero had given her on the top of her dresser. It would not have been terrible to open it in front of him – in fact, she sensed he almost wanted her to – but she did not wish to open it in front of him with her Nanny beside her, too.

Fiyero lowered his eyes and turned away from Nanny. He'd actually considered proposing to Elphaba at some point that would make it feasible to have a summer wedding, but he saw it obviously wasn't the greatest idea until school was over, and that would be more than a year. But he loved her, didn't that make it right?

Nanny got up and went into the other room, leaving the door wide open. "I'm sorry. I must be acting dreadfully embarrassing."

Elphaba finally sat next to him. "She knows," she whispered.

Fiyero gulped. "Oh."

"Just ignore the entire talk about marriage, really. She's just trying to scare us into getting married because, well, you know, we've had sex." Elphaba said softly.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about that and act as if it never happened."

"This is a special case. We aren't going to talk about it again, okay? I was just explaining why she's pressing the entire marriage thing."

"We have been together a while," Fiyero commented.

"Yes, but a lot of people are and end up hating each other. We've got an entire year, anyway. Why bother?" Suddenly Elphaba seemed to realize something. "You weren't suggesting that we get married, were you?"

"No, no. I was just seeing your Nanny's reasoning, that's all. I agree with you." He smiled and put an arm around her. "And I do love you."

"I know."

"How did she find out?"

"Nessa wrote the letter to father and shrewdly had Nanny proofread it."

Fiyero snorted.

Elphaba gave in to a half grin. "She also forced me to sit in the room while Nanny read it, too. You saved me from the rest of that conversation, though, which makes you my hero." She cocked her head, testing the sound of the words on her tongue. "Fiyero, my hero." Giggling, she nuzzled his shoulder. "One syllable too many, but I think I like that."

"Get rid of a syllable, then."

"How? Fiyero hero… that doesn't work. Oh! Yero my hero."

"Cute." He teased.

"I will never call you that in public, I promise."

"I don't think I'd care if you called me that in public nearly as much as you would care."

"Probably."

"Hmmm. I think you need a pet name now, too."

"Is this what happens when people get close? They start giving each other ridiculous nicknames?"

"I think it's kind of fun."

"I think you're a sentimental romantic fool," she replied.

"But you love me because of that, don't you?"

"Not just that." She was immediately shy.

"Oh, why else?"

"This isn't fair!" She pouted. "I'm no good at this sort of thing."

"Okay, okay. Back to finding you a name. Let's see… Elphaba. El… no. I don't like that. It's just a letter. Pha… that really doesn't work. Fa…."

"You could just use Fae?" She suggested.

"Too one syllable. Fae-Fae, I think."

"Fine. You're Yero my hero, Yero for short." Elphaba thought maybe she liked this cute thing a little bit.

"And you're Fae-Fae, Fae for short."

"Never in front of anyone else."

"Never." He answered seriously, playfulness lurking behind his gaze.

They burst into laughter and fell back onto the bed. As they tried to catch their breath from the fit of chuckles and giggles, they looked at one another. Fiyero cupped Elphaba's face in his hand and she placed a hand behind his neck. "Yero my hero."

"Fae-Fae." He kissed her.

Just as they were sharing a deep, somewhat steamy kiss, Nanny returned into the room. Fiyero's hand had slipped up Elphaba's blouse slightly, to grasp to her bare side and pull her closer. Elphaba's hand had snuck between the buttons of his shirt, running her hand along his chest. They both sat up and twisted away from each other the moment the old woman cleared her throat.

Fiyero scooted to the other side of the bed quickly. "Uh, anyway, Elphaba, as I was saying, about the Lurlinemas gift… would you care to open it now?"

Nanny's eyes were gleaming with mischief. "Do what the boy says, Elphaba. It's incredibly rude to receive a gift, put it down and go back to socializing, especially when the gift comes from someone you're so _close_ to."

Elphaba bit the insides of her cheeks to stop herself from making a smarmy remark. "Oh! Fiyero, I'm sorry. I did almost forget." When she knew Nanny couldn't see her facial expression, she rolled her eyes at him knowingly.

He nodded. "That's fine, Fae."

She shuddered. "Very funny." Elphaba stood up and grabbed the box that Fiyero had handed to her only a few minutes ago. "You didn't have to get me anything, you know."

"I wanted to." He reminded her. "Even if you didn't believe in celebrating, I like giving you things."

She sat back down next to Fiyero, slowly untying the bow and lifting open the box. Inside of it was a glass carving – no, an emerald carving. It depicted two characters (two characters who looked suspiciously like herself and Fiyero) holding hands while, seemingly, strolling. The boy character was kissing the girl character's cheek.

On the bottom, a silver plate to which the carving was fastened so it could be placed anywhere and stand up straight, a note was engraved. She read it out loud. "My beautiful Elphaba, you are my heart and my world. Love, Fiyero." Elphaba looked at her hands, tracing the carving with restless fingers. Whispering, she asked, "But this was before we went to the City. I thought you said you didn't want to tell me that you…"

"Signing something as 'love' is different," he put a hand over hers to settle her fidgeting finger movements. Fiyero noticed Nanny was staring at them, wondering what they were saying.

The old woman said, "That's very kind of you, young man, to give my Fabala such a gift."

Elphaba only nodded.

"Aren't you going to thank him, Elphaba?" Nanny pushed.

When Elphaba looked up at Fiyero, he noted that her eyes were faintly moist, but he didn't say anything about it. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He kissed her nose, not ashamed to do that much in front of Nanny. Fiyero then righted himself and headed towards the door. "Thank you for inviting me inside. I'd better get back. Goodbye, Nanny. Goodbye, Elphaba. See you tomorrow."

"Bye." Elphaba said softly, still staring at the present in her hands.

As the door closed, Nanny said, "What a sweet boy he is. Such a contrast to what I just found out…"

"Nanny, please." Elphaba moved towards the dresser and placed the emerald depiction on top of it.

"You're getting uncomfortable with his affections, aren't you?" Nanny wondered aloud. "Well, you shouldn't be. After what you've done, it would only make sense that both of you should feel something. It only concerns me that you seem to think you don't." Shaking her head, Nanny left the room again to check on her tea water.

"I do. It just scares me," Elphaba sighed, glancing at the shimmering green stone. "I do feel something."


	21. Broken Rules

**Chapter Twenty-One: Broken Rules**

He'd never break her rules. Anything that could cause him to lose her was beyond just plain "out of the question" to him. She was already hard enough to keep close. So Fiyero didn't exactly know what happened, really. It was just talking, it was just… okay, so he was wrong.

He and Elphaba had agreed to meet at the café for lunch. Fiyero arrived at 11:30, not sure if she'd said 11:30 or noon. When she didn't show up within five minutes, he was certain it was noon. Bored, he looked around the café, people watching – a habit that he was sure he must have gotten from Elphaba.

Avaric was there with a bunch of his friends – his "other group", as Elphaba called it, that he did the dirty stuff with that he talked about doing so much. Fiyero was certainly not inconspicuous and could never hope to be in the middle of anywhere that wasn't the Vinkus. Thus, Avaric spotted Fiyero and waved him over, grinning. This unnerved Fiyero, as they hadn't really spoken since the time Elphaba had told Avaric that Fiyero thought Avaric's little escapades were disgusting and Fiyero had backed her up.

Fiyero wanted to pass the time, though. He wandered lazily towards the table and sat down. "Hey."

"How've you been?" Avaric asked amiably.

"I've been pretty good actually. Never better." Fiyero said truthfully. He was happy with Elphaba, happy they'd made love and happy she'd told him that she loved him. Of course, he was also very happy she was still at Shiz and not off somewhere in the city doing Oz only knew what.

"You have seemed kind of bubbly lately. What's up with that?" Avaric inquired.

Fiyero didn't know Avaric had paid any attention at all to anyone else's mood. He did miss some of Avaric's side comments and observations, he realized. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be having this conversation. "Nothing, really. I guess that's what it is. There's nothing wrong and I've got most of the things I want, I just have to keep it that way."

"You and Elphaba are, like, an item, huh?"

"We've been dating more than a year." It had been a long time, hadn't it?

"Never thought that would happen."

"What? Elphaba and I?"

"Sort of. Elphaba with anyone is a bit surprising." Avaric shrugged. "She never seemed like the type to date anyone."

"True." Fiyero allowed this much. He hoped Avaric wouldn't make any rude comments about Elphaba, because then the easygoing conversation would be ruined.

"Still, you never want anything else?"

"What do you mean 'anything else'?"

"Like, you never want to go down, spend some time at the Philosophy Club, do something of the variety you and Elphaba wouldn't do?"

"Like what?"

"Sex." Avaric said bluntly.

Fiyero coughed. "I don't feel I need anyone else."

"Are you telling me you're still a virgin? Sweet Oz, man, it's been years since I was! I've constantly got girls begging me to bang them."

"I don't want just any girl begging me, anyway." Fiyero said evasively. He wouldn't fit in if he lied and said he and Elphaba had never… but he couldn't very well just tell the world, could he? What damage would it do, though? After all, her Nanny knew, as did her father. It wasn't as if it could get much worse.

"I'll bet you'd like to have Elphaba lying on her back pleading for you, wouldn't you? Believe me, it's quite an ego-lifting experience, having some chick telling you how good you are in bed."

"I'm sure it is." Fiyero dismissed. It couldn't hurt really, though, could it?

"Honestly, we have to get you laid. Come on, let's head over to the Philosophy Club right now." Avaric suggested.

"Really, that's fine. I don't need to get laid or anything. I'm okay."

"You're still a wimp, are you? Afraid to lose your precious virginity? Saving it for your wedding night?"

"I don't need to save my virginity, Avaric, seeing as I don't have it to save." Fiyero replied hotly.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really. Elphaba may not look like one who'd do something of that nature, but I assure you, I've been given quite an ego-lift myself."

Avaric raised his eyebrows and patted Fiyero on the back. "You've banged her? She gave it up for you? Nice job, that's like squeezing blood out of a turnip, Fiyero. Was it any good?"

Fiyero bit his lip but continued. "It was good, yes, and she couldn't stop whispering how amazing it was. As I said, I do not need to go out and have sex."

"No," a harsh voice echoed behind him, "you don't. I think you have quite a few other issues to deal with."

He turned around just in time for Elphaba to slap him. "Fae, I…"

"Never call me that in public. That was the rule, remember? Well, no surprise you didn't. You don't seem to remember several things. It shouldn't really shock me, but you've been acting this way all along, haven't you? You weren't 'disgusted' by any of these things your wonderful friends like to do, were you? I'm amazed at your patience. Honestly, how were you able to deal with me long enough if all you were in it for was the right to brag about spreading the legs of the coldest girl at Shiz?" Elphaba shook her head, struggling with tears. She reminded herself that those could come later, but not then. They were beginning to overcome her, though, and she whirled around and stalked out of the café. _This is what happens when you're late for just one little lunch date, isn't it?_ She wondered. _This is what happens when you finally let yourself believe you had something worthwhile. Nothing is, and nothing can be, not for me._

"Elphaba!" He was running after her. "Please."

"No," she hissed over her shoulder. "I've heard enough. I'm not going to stand here and let you feed me another bullshit sappy line." Elphaba broke into a full speed run and kept at it, only increasing pace as she ran further. She reached her dorm room, panting, slammed the door and buried herself in a pillow, finally allowing the tears to come.

"Elphie, Elphie, what is it?" Glinda was there, shaking her, hugging her. "What's going on?"

"I… I never thought I'd fall for anything like that. I tested him in so many ways. But he was still unreliable and hateful. I just don't understand why he took all the time to make me," her voice quivered, "fall in love with him just so he could tell people he'd gotten through my barriers, including my clothes."

"Fiyero? Oh, Oz, no, Elphie. He wouldn't do that. What are you talking about?"

Elphaba's head jerked up as there was a knock on the door. "Don't answer it. I don't want to talk to him."

"Elphaba, I'm sorry," came Fiyero's voice through the door.

Glinda got up and yanked the door open. "I don't know what you did, but it was enough to make her cry and anything that bad has got to say something about you. Get out of here, now."

Before Glinda whipped the door shut, Fiyero asked, "She's crying?"

"Satisfied with yourself now?" A heavy thud and the door was closed. Glinda shuddered and sat on the edge of Elphaba's bed. "What happened, Elphie?"

Elphaba explained what she'd heard (only the last three bits of dialogue) of the conversation between Avaric and Fiyero. When she finished, she wiped her face with the blanket. "How could I fall for that, Glinda?"

"Elphaba, he's a guy. They talk that way."

"He told me he hasn't spoken in a friendly way with Avaric in more than a year!" Elphaba exclaimed. "I wouldn't go around telling someone I had barely talked to about something like that, Glinda. And he was bragging about it, Glinda, he was bragging, like I was just some achievement."

Glinda wanted to say then that, maybe if Elphaba had told her what was going to happen, she could've talked her out of it and spared her all of this. She wanted to say a sort of "I told you so". But she didn't. "Oh, Elphie, I never thought he'd do that. Maybe he just got pulled into conversation and he didn't know how to avoid it?"

"You didn't hear it, Glinda. You didn't."

Nessa had wheeled into the room. "The Unnamed God punishes all sins."

"Nessa," Glinda began carefully, "I don't think this is a good time."

"But this is the only time. If she understands that now while she's in the most pain, it'll make her think twice."

"It's too late for that, Nessa!" Elphaba snapped. "I don't care what I'm being punished for, since I don't believe I have a soul to punish."

Nessa's face hardened and she used her feet again to drag her chair out. Nanny peered through the door as she dutifully shut it behind her. She did not ask questions, just turned away as the knob twisted and the door closed.

"Elphaba, really, though, are you sure it's not some sort of miscommunication?"

"Why are you making up reasons for him?" Elphaba spat accusingly.

"I'm just trying to help. I don't want you to lose what the two of you had over something that could just be a comprehension problem."

"There never was anything we had, Glinda, don't you see that? He made it up. The boy sat and read books to me in a used book store in the middle of the winter just so he could get close enough to me to fuck me."

Glinda winced at the expletive. When it had first happened, Elphaba had gone on about how personal it was and such. The word Elphie had just used was not personal, it was not intimate. She realized that Elphaba's faith in whatever love she'd ever believed in was deteriorating and no one could prevent that except for Fiyero. And he certainly wouldn't be of help anytime soon, from the way things sounded. "Elphie," Glinda just hugged her best friend for a long time, "I'm so sorry. I thought he was good, too, Elphie, I thought so, too. He didn't just trick you. You weren't stupid. No one saw this."

Fiyero was slumped outside the door, head in his hands. He'd heard every word of the discussion beyond the wooden obstruction and he'd heard Elphaba's throat contract with sobs. She was really crying over him. Well, now he had the answer as to how much she cared; he'd just ended up getting the answer the wrong way. "I have to fix this," he told himself, "I don't know how. I can't lose her. I can't. I'm going to make her believe me. I'm going to make this all better. I have to."

Elphaba had fallen asleep oddly quickly. Glinda supposed she just didn't want to face the waking world and reality anymore. Who could blame her?

It felt like everything was broken.


	22. Rediscovering the Good

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Rediscovering the Good**

Elphaba woke up, rolled out of the bed and began tugging on the first thing she pulled out of the closet. What did it matter how she looked? There was no one she wanted to impress anymore. Why bother? She looked over and saw Glinda had been up for some time and was almost ready for her morning class. "Hey."

Glinda smiled at her comfortingly, as she had every morning for the past three days. Today would be especially tough on her roomie, she knew. It was Friday, and that meant the first day of Advanced Life Sciences Level II since what had happened with Fiyero.

At exactly the same time that it would have happened on every Friday morning before that, there came three raps on the door. The two girls looked at one another. Glinda moved to answer it, but Elphaba rushed in front of her, just glancing at her. She'd need to deal with this herself. And so she took a deep breath and opened the door. "What?"

Fiyero was standing there, just like always. He had his hands behind his back and brought one out the moment she opened her mouth, revealing two flowers: a tulip and a purple hyacinth. "Um, the tulip signifies a declaration of love, and I figured it'd just be another way to tell you that I love you and the purple, uh… I forget its name, well, it means 'I'm sorry'."

"Well," Glinda commented from inside, "that took some research."

Elphaba held her head as high as she could manage. "Probably. There's got to be some book for guys on 'flowers to get her to fall at your feet' or something. It doesn't work with me. Very original. Flowers. What a grand idea!" She said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not done," he protested quickly. "Please?"

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest. "What you will."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Elphaba. I love you. I was just waiting for you and he started talking to me and I tried to avoid talking of sex, but he is how he is and it doesn't work like that and the longer I tried to pretend not to be aware, the more he made me feel like some pathetic schoolboy."

"You are." Elphaba replied.

"I am." He nodded, taking it. "And it was stupid. But Elphaba, guys talk like that sometimes. I didn't mean to demean you, or us."

"You certainly did."

"I never did anything just so I could have sex with you. That was never my motive, Elphaba, please believe that."

"Why should I?" She challenged.

"If I had, Elphaba, would I be here right now with flowers and more trying to make it up to you?"

"Maybe just so you can have the satisfaction of pulling one over on me again."

"I never pulled anything over on you. Please."

Elphaba looked away. "Prove it."

"Nothing is good enough to prove it in your eyes, Fae," he said softly, "and I know that. But let me try and make it up to you. Come with me."

"To class?"

"We're not going to class," he pushed.

"You're right. We're not going to class together, because you aren't walking me and I'll be walking alone. Have a good day, Fiyero." She gathered her wits and, using her book bag as a shield, tried to push past him on her way to class.

He caught her arm, as he always had in the situations he really needed to. "Give me the day."

She eyed him warily. "What're you hiding behind your back?" Sneaking her arm from his grip, she began to walk, allowing him the choice to follow her.

He fell into stride with her as they began to walk, seemingly headed towards the Life Sciences building. "You have to come with me to find out," he teased, maneuvering every time she tried to peer around him so that she couldn't see.

Her curiosity had peaked. "But class?"

"Forget class for a day."

She looked up at the building they'd reached. "I don't do that."

"Elphaba!" Crope and Tibbett were headed towards them. "What's going on? Shouldn't you be headed inside? It's spring, and we know how our dear Elphaba dislikes the rain."

"There isn't a cloud in the sky. Besides, Elphaba dropped something. We're just making sure we don't have it before I walk her back to her dorm to get it." Fiyero insisted, grabbing Elphaba's wrist.

She didn't argue. That gave Fiyero the only hope he'd had in the past few days. He grasped it as he did her wrist and she followed him. It took her a moment to ask, "What are we doing?"

Finally he exposed his other arm, holding a picnic basket. "That's not the only thing I have," he nodded towards the book bag on his shoulders, "but we're going to start by having a breakfast picnic, spending some time together, having lunch, spending more time together, and having dinner."

"How did you fit that much food in there?" She studied the basket.

"I have my ways. That's not all. There's some in my bag."

"So, where are we going to have this picnic?"

"In the little forests behind Crage. We really are headed back towards your dorm."

She looked up and it was so. Crage stood in front of her and quickly became a looming form behind her as she trailed behind Fiyero to the edge of the woods. "Why should I trust you? You're taking me all alone somewhere that no one knows where I am. You could do whatever you wished to me."

"I'm not _that_ much of an idiot. As pathetic as I feel admitting this, you'd probably kick my ass." He started into the forest, following a faint path. "I have a solid destination, actually. Trust me."

How many times had she trusted him? How many times had he failed her? The answer was many and none. So she went.

They reached a clearing big enough for their picnic blanket and three more with a stream running through the corner. It wasn't bright and sunny – the trees contributed to that – and it wasn't abundant with flowers, but it was a good setting all the same. He laid out the blanket, stood and gestured for her to sit. "Please have a seat."

She shrugged and sat down unceremoniously. He sat beside her – too close – and she scooted away. "Not so fast."

He didn't fight her. "As you like." Fiyero reached into the basket and unrolled one of three tightly wrapped cloth packages. "From the hotel in the city I remembered you often like to eat a lot of fruit in the mornings, as well as a bagel." The cloth unraveled to disclose all of these things and more.

Elphaba bit her lip, gnawing on it hungrily. She hadn't been hungry until she'd seen all of this food. Hesitantly, she reached for some grapes. "That was very observant of you."

Fiyero smiled; he knew he was getting somewhere. He grabbed an orange and began peeling it, eager to sink his teeth into the fresh fruit (he'd gone through the trouble of gathering most of the fruit that morning before the sun had risen).

They munched in silence and Elphaba stared at him when they were finished. "So, what does this 'spending time together' encompass, exactly?"

"Well," he tried to hide his pride as he reached into his bag and fumbled for a book, "I was thinking we could read something."

The book fell open in his lap and Elphaba gasped, wide-eyed. "Fiyero, that… that book was so expensive the storekeeper wouldn't even let us look at it."

"But you wanted to. And, though I'm not filthy rich, I can save up enough within a few months to buy this, and so here it is. Or is it too expensive to read?"

"No, no!" She brought her hands to her mouth. "We can certainly read it."

"Get comfortable," he invited. "I'll read."

Elphaba laid down on her stomach and propped her elbows up with her chin in her hands. "Okay." She took a banana from the supply of fruit and opened it, biting off pieces contentedly.

He began to read to her, just like he always had, and watched hopefully as she became enthralled with the story. Fiyero restrained himself from taking her into his arms; he didn't want to alarm her. She'd scamper away if she wasn't in control.

His voice was smooth and sweet, the way she loved. She crawled closer, trying to be subtle, but failing, and only grinning lopsidedly when he caught her. Still uneasy, she laced her fingers through the fingers of his free hand, not daring to get closer yet.

Fiyero was glad the book was long. They read until his arms were around her and the sun was in the middle of the sky (from what they could see). He gently prodded her and whispered, "Watch the forest right behind the stream."

She turned and looked at him suspiciously, but again was too intrigued to disobey. Elphaba gazed at the trees beyond the stream, stiffening when branches snapped and movement led a deer into the clearing. "How did you know?"

"Routine," a voice raspy from disuse answered.

"Oh!" Elphaba jumped. It was a Deer. "You…"

"Don't tell." The Deer traipsed closer to them.

"Fiyero, you never talked about…"

"I was waiting to tell you. Sometimes, when you're busy, I sneak off here. Clindra talks to me, sometimes about you."

Elphaba shifted. "Me?"

The Deer said, "I've heard about you a lot. I'm lucky when he talks about anything else."

Elphaba flushed. "Yero…"

She'd called him Yero. He brightened immediately. "I well, kind of explained what happened, and she helped me a little bit. That's how I knew she'd be here."

"What do you mean 'explained what happened'?"

Fiyero laughed. "Are you going to kill me because I told a Deer about specific things that have happened between us because I wanted to know what I could do to prove I love you?"

"I can't, can I?" Elphaba giggled.

Clindra was beside the couple now. "I have a mate. He doesn't like humans, much, though, no matter how much I tell him that there are some humans who have good in them, like Fiyero."

"Yes, he is a good person, isn't he?" Elphaba decided again. "He's quite a good person."


	23. Spoiled Afternoon

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Spoiled Afternoon**

They shared lunch with Clindra, who Elphaba questioned ruthlessly about life hiding out as an Animal. It was not yet time to have dinner when Clindra insisted for the final time that she really did have to leave, her mate would worry. The Deer disappeared into the forest again and Elphaba watched her pityingly. She then turned to Fiyero. "You," she said, not having a specific verb or action to complete her sentence, and she kissed him without caution. Elphaba was not complaining when she found herself lying in his arms in a deep embrace.

He didn't try to take more from her than she would give. Fiyero was not going to disrespect her. Besides, they did have to eat. After a long time of kissing and touching and teasing and hinting, he sat up and unrolled the last cloth, full of her favorite foods, which didn't stun her much by that point. "I'm sorry."

"I just wish you hadn't had to say that, Fiyero. I thought you were more confident than needing to show off something like that."

"I thought I was, too. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"My virginity – or what was my virginity – is not a trophy you hang on the wall and invite the boys over to discuss." She said quietly, staring intently at her food.

"I know, Fae. I violated the rules, I violated you and I wasn't thinking. I love you, though, and I would never cause you any pain purposely."

"I think I'm beginning to understand that." She finished chewing. "I'm still hurt that you spoke about it that way, though. I thought, and you seemed to think, that what happened between us was something very secret, and not to be bragged about."

"I still think it is. I have no excuse for you except for the fact that I was stupid and I wanted to fit in. But I shouldn't have cared; I know. I love you. Tell me you can forgive me."

She wiped her mouth with a napkin he'd brought along and inched closer to him. "I can." When they looked at one another, Elphaba realized that part of them, the entire day, had known they would make love, that they would lie in each other arms long afterwards, nude in the open air on the blanket, Elphaba, of course, happy that evening had begun to dawn and he could not see her as well. However, neither of them guessed that it would begin to rain.

Fiyero felt the first drop and bolted up. "Elphaba! Shit."

She looked at him, curious and somewhat hurt that she'd simply dropped her. Then she knew. Suddenly the rain had begun to pour. Their clothes were soaked already. Fiyero dove for his bag and she cowered.

"Extra blanket," he said quickly, placing it on her.

"What happens when it gets damp?" She worried.

So he covered as much her of as he could, draping his body over hers and then the blanket over both of them. He could feel her shuddering and he kissed her neck to still her nerves. It did not seem to help, so Fiyero just continued to hold himself over her, though it would not stop her from getting wet, as his method was slowly failing. Had it only been a short shower, it would have worked.

"Fae, is there anything else you can think of that I could do?"

She shook her head meekly, slowly feeling the dread creep and defeat her defenses. "I'm going to get drenched if this doesn't stop soon."

"I'll do the best I can," he murmured, "I promise."

"I wish that was enough. But we're so far away from Shiz and… I don't even want to think about it." Elphaba took a deep breath. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He may repeat the words often, but he knew she wasn't too comfortable with them, even if she had said them once or twice and meant it. Fiyero reveled in hearing her speak them and worried at the same time. "You're going to be fine."

"Yero my hero," she moved a hand to caress his face. "Thank you."

"It's not that difficult."

"You could just not hold yourself up and almost crush me, but you're holding yourself up with your arms for such a long period of time and that's a bit difficult, I would assume."

"Not when I remember I'm doing it for you."

"You and your silly lines." She scolded.

"You love my lines."

"I do."

The whispers continued beneath the blanket as Elphaba grew more fearful and thus, more sensitive and vulnerable. Their conversation only stopped when, out of nowhere, the blanket was partially nudged off of them and Elphaba shrieked.

Clindra and another Deer, a male who Clindra later introduced as her mate, stood there. They did not blanch at the nudity; the Deer simply spoke hurriedly. "Quick," Clindra said to Fiyero, "we know of a cave a little ways off. If she walks in the right direction with you and us in front of her, the wind will blow the rain to hit us and not her."

Elphaba did not hesitate at this idea. Fiyero to the front of her along with the male Deer and Clindra to the side, they kept a paced trot (well, whatever one would call a walk that would be a run if the four hadn't been so close and trying to keep a similar speed). She clutched Fiyero's hand, whimpering at the occasional splash of raindrops on her skin. The moment they reached the tiny cave, she was in its depths – not that these depths were very far. In fact, she wasn't sure if they'd all fit.

Clindra stood outside the cave with her mate and Fiyero cocked his head once he'd gotten in. "Aren't you going to…?"

"No. We're used to this. But I remembered you mentioning that your mate cannot touch water."

"Thank you," Elphaba said from behind Fiyero. "Thank you so much. I don't know what we would've done."

"You seemed to have an interesting little strategy worked out." The Deer smiled. "It was smart of you to shed your clothes immediately so that they wouldn't become wet and stick to you."

"That wasn't the reason that we weren't wearing any…" Fiyero stopped his explanation when Elphaba smacked him in the arm lightly. "Well, thank you."

Clindra nodded and her mate galloped off. She followed quickly. "I hope you two stay safe. Good night!"

Elphaba stared at her sodden dress that Fiyero had hung against the wall in the corner. "Great. In a dirty cave with no clothes." _But it's dark, so at least he can't see me._

"We'll live. We're lucky we're anywhere dry." Fiyero reminded her.

"We are. I'm lucky you knew Clindra." Elphaba said. "Thank you for today."

"Thank you for letting me take you out today."

"We're dead when we get back, for skipping class and going missing all night. You know that, right?"

"Probably. What can they do? We skipped class. The staying out missing all night is easy to explain with your skin condition. They can't punish us for trying to keep you from dying."

Elphaba sighed. She took the only slightly damp blanket from Fiyero and laid it out on the ground. "It's only a little bit wet. But it'll have to do. We can't just stay up. I'm exhausted. All of this running around and everything."

Fiyero rustled through his bag and again took out something she wanted badly: a lantern. He lit it and held it near the blanket to help it dry. "Just a few more minutes. It'll be more comfortable for you if it's drier, right?"

She just hugged him, sopping wet as he was. The sting surprised her but she didn't recoil. "You really are my hero."

"And you really are going to get very bad skin damage. Let me dry myself off, all right?"

"How?"

He wrung out the original blanket and wiped himself off with that as best he could. Shaking out his hair, he moved away from Elphaba as not to hurt her anymore than she was. Fiyero knew she'd likely be in a lot of pain from all of the water but she refused to complain. It was her way. When he finally felt that he was acceptably dry, he moved back towards her and blew out the lantern. "Don't want that falling over at night and starting a fire while we're sleeping."

She noticed how cold it was. They had no real blanket except the one they were lying on. The other was still much too damp for her to actually place her body on. Shivering, she laid down with him and hugged him close. "This might be a long night."

"The longer it lasts, the longer I've got you, naked and alone," he grinned in the odd light of the cave. "I'm not going to have a problem with it."

Elphaba kissed his chin and curled in tightly. "Men and sex."

"Women and their issues with men and sex."

She didn't answer. After a moment of listening to her breaths, he realized she was asleep. Cautiously, he slipped away and opened his bag after lighting the lantern again. Studying her, he took out a bottle of first aid burn lotion and smoothed it on her burns. When he finished this, he then fastened bandages wherever it looked as if her skin was in the worst condition, which was about as many places as he had bandages. "Oh, Fae."

She began shivering even as he spoke and he joined her again, hugging her close. By this time, the second blanket was almost dry and he pulled it over them. Elphaba tugged on it slightly in her sleep and Fiyero was left with just enough for himself. He contented himself by holding fast to her, this way she couldn't _not_ cover him with the blanket if she was covering herself. Nuzzling in close to his warmth, she whimpered again, accidentally brushing a bandaged arm across something.

He watched, concerned. How hurt was she? Fiyero pondered the depth of the injuries she'd sustained from the water. Since she'd never really told him how badly certain amounts of the liquid could hurt, he had no idea how to assess the issue. In the end, he spent the night half sleeping as he troubled himself and soothed her.

When he woke, it was lighter outside and the rain had stopped. He gently shook her awake but she hissed in pain. "No!"

Alarmed, he quickly wrapped the blanket around her, about to carry her back to the dorms that way. Then he realized she had no clothes on, and that would not make their situation look very favorable. So he cautiously eased her into her undergarments and dress – thanking Oz that they'd dried fully overnight – and then placed her in the blanket. He then dressed himself and picked her up. She opened her eyes then and sent him as resentful of a glare as she could. "What?"

"I don't need to be carried!" She spat.

He laughed. "I think you do. Just let me, please?"

"Fine. But you'd better remember that it's only because you begged. I don't _need_ you to."

Fiyero was glad to see her attitude was not spoiled by the water that had scathed the rest of her body. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I did enjoy this until it started raining, though. And I do accept your apology."

"I'm glad." He stood with her, his bags and basket at the end of the forest, staring at the back of Crage. There was a backdoor and he quickly went inside. Fiyero had some difficulty finding her room from that direction, but she'd stopped talking or helping and he had to find it on his own. Knocking on the door, he shouted, "Elphaba's hurt."

Nessa, Nanny and Glinda were all in the doorway when the door opened. Immediately, Nanny demanded, "Where have you been?"

"We skipped class." He cowered under Nessa and Nanny's disapproving glares. "We were having a long picnic and reading when it began to rain. There was a cave not far off that we'd, um, passed on our way. We'd been in the forest right over here. There was a cave. It was the closet place that provided any dry shelter. She fell asleep and I fell asleep at some point, too, though I was trying to stay up and watch the rain so I could get her back as soon as possible. I don't know if she's okay."

The three women moved away from the door so he could put Elphaba down on her bed. Nanny bent down at the bed first. "Her face looks all right. But I imagine her dress got damp and that might have hurt her."

"Um, yeah." Fiyero looked at his hands.

Nanny tactlessly but carefully began undressing Elphaba. Nessa gasped. "Nanny, there's a boy in the room!"

Glinda giggled.

Fiyero turned away.

Nanny said, "As you well know, he's probably seen enough of this already. If he wants to go, he can go."

Fiyero looked at Nanny and saw she understood more than he thought she did. She may not approve of what had occurred between him and Elphaba, but she accepted that it had happened and nothing was going to change that or make it any less. "I'll stay," he told her. "I'll stay as long as I'm allowed, if that's all right."

"It's fine."

"Then I'll stay. I want to stay with her."


	24. Preferred Endings of a Love Story

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Preferred Endings of a Love Story**

It was, to put it simply, a long day. When he'd brought Elphaba back, it'd only been early morning, and he'd planned to stay until lights out, since it was Saturday. He snacked on the soggy leftovers in his bag and watched Elphaba. She didn't stay asleep too long, but when she woke up, she was incomprehensible and didn't stay awake long, either.

Glinda spent most of the day on the other side of Elphaba's bed, watching her, too. She wouldn't look at Fiyero and when he tried to make conversation, she simply ignored him. He demanded she tell him what she was acting that way for and she said, simply, "I'm afraid this isn't the type of conversation I want to have while she's sleeping right here."

"Fine. Nanny will watch her. Come into the hallway." Fiyero pressed.

"You don't give up, do you?" Glinda stood, shaking her head and following him into the hallway.

"I didn't _mean_ for this to happen!"

"No, you're just lucky. You knew just how to get her weak and you 'saved' her by bringing her back here. So of course, when she wakes up, she'll love you again."

"She already loved me, damn it! The papers didn't predict rain. Elphaba forgave me long before the rain started, anyway. We hadn't even planned to be out there that late, but we got distracted…"

Glinda's eyes widened. "Ew! You had sex, naked, in the middle of the forest?"

Fiyero sighed, exasperated. "We had two picnic blankets."

"Bugs can crawl onto blankets."

"Bugs can also crawl into dorm rooms!" Fiyero retorted.

"Just… ew."

"Glinda, whatever you think of that, please, I don't want to hurt her. Would you stop suspecting me? Before the entire thing in the city happened, you had no problem with me."

Glinda looked him and up and down. "You're changing her. I've never seen her so upset by something until all of this."

"Would you rather she didn't feel?"

"No, I just… it's not normal for her."

"I think that what you're trying to say is: Elphaba going through the ups and downs of a relationship isn't normal because you don't like the concept of her dating anyone longer than the first month or two when you can call it 'cute'."

"No, I didn't mean that. I just meant…"

"What?"

She buried her face in her hands. "Okay, you're right. I just didn't expect her to be in a relationship and do the sort of things that other people do in relationships. It just seemed unlike her. It's not that I think it's wrong."

Fiyero nodded. "I know, Glinda. I just wish you'd stop suspecting me of evil plans to hurt her."

"I don't know what you said, Fiyero, but she was certainly hurt when she came in after going to meet you for lunch."

"Look, that was me making a mistake. Everyone does. I feel bad for it. I don't want to hurt her. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her like that, Glinda." He tore her hands from her face and stared at her. "Believe me. I love her, that's all."

Glinda bit her lip and looked into Fiyero's face. "Fine. But if you ever go back on that, if you ever hurt her, you're dead."

"Oh? You could kill me?"

"I could."

"I don't plan on finding out how you'd try, since I'm not going to hurt Elphaba, but I doubt you could." Fiyero teased.

"Master Fiyero," Madame Morrible drawled. "There's been quite the search for you and our Miss Elphaba."

"Elphaba's inside, ma'm. She's very ill." Fiyero then gave the headmistress a short, PG and rundown version of the events of the previous day. "I'm sorry."

"Well, you two did ditch class purposely, so you will be punished for that as soon as she recovers. Why don't you have Nanny bring her to the infirmary?"

"It's a special case. If it gets worse, we'll take her down there," Glinda promised solemnly.

The headmistress nodded and walked away. Fiyero and Glinda looked at each other and laughed. "I think it's best Nanny takes care of her. What could the people in the infirmary do? They've never dealt with this before. Nanny has." Fiyero decided.

"Yes, that's what I was going to say." Glinda agreed. The two headed back inside and sat down on their respective sides of Elphaba's bed.

Elphaba opened her eyes and looked up at Fiyero, who had taken her hand. "You again."

"Yes, it's me. You're stuck with me still."

"I don't mind." She told him.

"No?"

"Not at all. Could you read me something?"

Fiyero took a deep breath. For once, she was acting stable, but he didn't have another book. "I don't have any more books, Elphie." He got an idea. "Can I tell you a wonderful little fantasy story?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Once upon a time," he began slowly.

"This is cliché," she warned.

"I don't care." He answered. "This is a story about two people, a boy and a girl. Anyway, once upon a time, there was a smart, beautiful girl from Munchkinland. Only, not everyone could see how beautiful she was because she was very different."

"How was she different?"

"Her skin was different." He smiled down at her. "As I was saying, this girl got to be of age to go to college. Her roommate was a Gillikin blonde girl who, at first, didn't seem to like her very much." Fiyero ignored Glinda's huff. "They got to be friends. The different but beautiful girl also made friends with a science professor of hers, an Animal, the last one on the staff at her school. She worked for him over the summer. When the second school year started, the Animal was murdered and she was devastated.

"There was also a boy from a far away part of Oz. He was a prince there, actually, but no one really cared at school. This prince started college in what should've been his second year, but he'd been home-schooled the year before until he'd finally convinced his parents to let him go to college with other students. He happened to be going to the same school this beautiful but different girl was going to. His first day, he stumbled into her class, as it was also his class. This boy and the girl didn't get along very well at first, but he secretly stared at her when no one was looking."

"And the girl did the same." Elphaba interrupted.

He squeezed her hand. "They were forced to work on a project together and they became friends. Then there was a ball that required mandatory attendance and an escort. He took her. They fought; they kissed. Two days later, they were officially dating.

"The boy loved the girl very much and saw that she was beautiful. However, this girl was a very independent girl and he was afraid to tell her how he felt. They dated for a year when the girl, because of her intelligence, was invited to the Emerald City with her best friend and sister to meet the Wizard. The boy insisted on going along. They shared a hotel room and the best friend and sister shared another. On the last night in the City before the girl was to meet the Wizard, the boy and the girl made love for the first time. It was wonderful and the boy, again, wanted to tell the girl how he loved her, but he was still afraid.

"The next day, the girl met the Wizard and found that it was he who was repressing the Animals, and, directly or indirectly, was the cause of her mentor's death. She wanted to run away into the city to join the Resistance. The boy tried to stop her. He finally said that he loved her and it shocked her so much that she fainted."

"It didn't shock her," Elphaba corrected, "it just scared her a little."

"And so he took her back to school and when she woke up, she told him that she loved him, too. The girl's family and friends found out that they had made love and none of them were happy about it, but the boy and girl didn't care, they loved one another too much. Later that year – as it was their third year in college – they got in a fight. Just when they made up, the girl became ill." Fiyero paused.

"And then?"

"I'm not sure yet. I believe that she gets better."

"What happens after that?"

"I don't know. That's in the sequel."

"If the boy could decide how the sequel would go, what would it sound like?" She asked.

"Hmmm. Well, I think the boy would like it very much if his love would get better quickly. And then he'd just like to be with her and do the usual things lovers do. After a while, I believe he'd like it if they got married."

"But the girl is very independent," Elphaba pointed out.

"You asked what the boy would like, not what might happen."

"Oh, right." She closed her eyes again.

He wanted to keep her awake. "Tell me, Fae, what do you think the girl would like the sequel to sound like?"

"I think she'd like it if she got better quickly, too." Elphaba almost giggled. "And then I think she'd like to finish school. She'd like to work for the Wizard and change his policies. She'd also like, after things become more stable, to maybe get married. But even that makes her nervous."

"Why?"

"As you said, she's very headstrong. Not only that, but she doesn't know if she'll be able to change the policies she'd like. She may have to resort to joining the Resistance, and a marriage would be difficult. Besides, she doesn't want to become too needy."

"The boy loves her, though."

"She knows that. But she doesn't want something to go wrong."

"He wouldn't let anything go wrong."

Glinda was just sitting at the side of the bed, sniveling by this point. "The best friend would like it if the girl stayed safe," she opined.

Fiyero added, "And the boy would like his part of the story to come true."

"She's stubborn and autonomous."

"But she loves him." Fiyero reminded her.

"That she does." Elphaba turned over to go to sleep, still holding Fiyero's hand. "That she does."


	25. We'll See About That

**Chapter Twenty-Five: We'll See About That**

As the boy and the girl hoped, the girl did get better. It wasn't as quick as they'd both fantasized about, but it was not a slow process, either. Fiyero visited daily, spending almost the entire days on the weekend. Elphaba ailed for no more than two weeks and she was back, snapping and striding and smacking, to everyone's… delight.

The return from spring break had everyone looking forward to summer – or almost everyone. When Fiyero found her the day after she got back from Nest Hardings, Elphaba was sulking in his favorite clearing in the forest. He sat down next to her on the blanket she'd brought, put an arm around her shoulder and said, "Hey, I missed you. What's wrong?"

She kissed him quickly. "I missed you, too. My father scolded me continuously when I got back."

"What'd he say?"

"Sent me to my room for dinner and then came in and lectured me about fornication. What else? He said that I'll never get married, especially not after I've been tainted by the loss of my virginity."

"We'll see about that," Fiyero said quietly.

Elphaba looked away. She was aware he'd said something about marriage when she'd been sick, but she'd been half delirious and had no way of telling him it made her uncomfortable. "Fiyero…"

"What? I'm just saying."

"No."

"No what?"

"Don't talk about it, okay? We're not done with school or anything. I'm not sure I even want to get married straight out of college, anyway."

He didn't understand how she could love him so much that his betrayal would cause her to cry, that the thought of losing him made her nervous, that she'd make love with him but _not_ want to get married. The thought of such hurt him slightly, but he didn't press it. Fiyero stared at his lap and shrugged. "Okay."

She knew that tone. Elphaba cuddled closer to him, trying to make up for whatever pain she'd just caused. "Please understand. I do love you. More than anything."

He brightened. She'd barely ever said the word "love" if she didn't have to, now she was saying that he meant so much? "I love you, too, Fae."

"Then make love to me." She said suddenly, pulling away a bit and lying back on the blanket. "Screw my father and his stupid sins. I want you and I love you and I don't care about any of that other crap. So love me."

Hesitantly, he looked up at the sky.

She laughed. "Oh, silly, don't worry. I've got a waterproof coat in my bag and an umbrella. Besides, now we know where to go if we have to."

With this assurance, he obliged. He leaned down and kissed her deeply, refusing to climb on top of her and lying her on her side so they faced one another. They made love like this – no dominant lover, no inability to touch certain parts of one another, no lost warmth. Elphaba, embarrassed about herself as usual, wrapped the blanket around them and hid their bodies (more specifically her own body) protectively. It was less of a pleasure seeking experience than it was a love. Nonetheless, Elphaba's cries echoed in the forest, and Fiyero felt thoroughly spent afterwards, as they wrapped their arms around one another, kissing and nuzzling. "Fae-Fae."

"Yero my hero," she whispered.

Out of nowhere, he said, "Come home with me."

"What?"

"Over the summer. My parents have been asking to meet you since the winter of last year."

"My father would never allow that," she told him.

"What's he going to do? You don't need any money. I'm already going home and the carriage can easily fit two people. And it isn't like we need to sleep in separate beds, anyway." Fiyero argued.

"Look, he isn't going to take me out of Shiz. He won't take that money away, since I can't do anything with it but go to Shiz. But he can make it as hard as possible for me to do anything else by taking away all other funding."

"Then I'll pay for anything you need."

Elphaba shook her head. "No! I will not let you do that."

"It's not that much money. You aren't very demanding when it comes to necessities, Fae. I'd hate to be the man who'd make Glinda a promise like this, but this is you and I love you and that's the way it'll be." He insisted.

"Only if you let me get a job during the year to pay you back."

"No, and I'm saying that simply because that would detract from the time we spend together."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Fine. But only because you insisted and I feel bad for not feeling the same way about marriage that you do."

He kissed her. "Thank you." Fiyero nibbled at her neck.

"Oooh!" She giggled helplessly, and then stopped him. "Wait. We've got one more problem. How are you going to keep away from me?"

"I won't need to. Not really. See, the castle's so huge, that if we wanted to hide for a few hours and… have a little time for romance, I guess, we could be done before anyone even found us."

"Not everyday," she warned.

"No. I don't want to get you pregnant." Fiyero grasped her wrist. "Are you watching that?"

"You think I wouldn't?"

"Good. I was just making sure. I know how badly you want to finish school and I don't want anything to stop you."

"But that's not all I was saying. We don't have to do it every day, Fiyero."

"I never said we did. Not even every other day. There's plenty of time to do other things around the castle, anyway. And my mom and dad would find it suspicious if we snuck off _every day_."

"They won't if we sneak off, I don't know, once a week?"

"They might. But they won't really care."

Elphaba looked at him skeptically. "I didn't promise once a week. And there are weeks when we just can't at all, all right?"

"I know this. We studied this." He teased.

"Ah, but you're a man and some men don't pay attention." She poked him.

"Now, Fae, if I sneak into your room at night…"

"For sex?"

"For sleeping."

"What kind of sleeping?"

"Holding you and closing my eyes as I dream."

"Go ahead. I'd like that, actually."

"However, every once in a while, I might have a… uh… _rousing_ dream about you and then I'll want, well, you know."

"We'll see. You know how I can't manage to," she flushed, "keep very quiet."

"The walls are stone."

"I'm still loud."

"There are other rooms."

"Not in the middle of the damned night, there aren't!" Elphaba snapped.

"As you wish."

"But," she was already thinking it over, "maybe if I really wanted to, too, we could sneak to some other part of the castle and find somewhere."

"We don't even need a bed, as this proves." Fiyero gestured to the blanket.

"It's more comfortable."

"Really? I kind of like it here."

"You're not normally on the bottom." She wrinkled her nose.

"You weren't today."

"I am usually."

Fiyero pretended to pout. "Aw, poor Fae, actually demanding comfort?"

"Shut up. If it's possible, I'd rather be comfortable. Is that too much to ask?"

"Nothing's too much to ask for when it's you." He answered, leaving her lying in the blanket as he stretched out.

She eyed him. "Well, I promise you the five nights on the way to the Vinkus, anyway. That much I can confirm for you now."

He wasn't paying much attention. "Tell me, what else have you got with you?" Fiyero crawled over to her bag and began digging through it.

"No sex toys, I hate to disappoint you."

"I wasn't looking for sex toys. That's not the only thought I have… well, most of the time, it's not." Fiyero took out a book. "Hey, this is no fun! It's a schoolbook. I'm not reading _this_ to you."

Elphaba flipped onto her stomach, still hidden by the blanket, of course, and reached for it. "I might as well get some studying done."

"You aren't serious. You're here, alone, for a nice amount of time, with me, _naked_ and you want to study?"

She peered at him from the top of the book. "We just had sex. You can't tell me you want more."

"What do you want me to do? Sit here and look at you and not think about it?"

"I'm covered! Aren't you the slightest bit tired?"

"If I told you I was thirsty, would you let me taste, please?"

"Sweet Oz, you're lustful today!" She exclaimed. Crossing her legs, she added, "And no, you may not."

"But you like it, too."

"I'm lying on my stomach. It's easier to read this way. I will not let you prevent me from reading this."

"You don't have to be on your back for us to have sex, Fae."

"The entire anal thing is _so_ not happening. Didn't I tell you that?" She raised her eyebrows.

"And you were thinking _I_ hadn't studied reproduction enough. It can still be the same way even from behind."

"I'm not going to lie here and feel like a dog, Fiyero."

"There are a few other positions that I can take you from behind in."

"You know too much," she put down the book.

"If I know too much, I don't want to think about what other guys know." He replied quickly.

"Ah, Yero, you know I love you. Stop asking for sex and come sit with me."

"Could you get dressed first?"


	26. Secret Similarities

Chapter Twenty-Six: Secret Similarities 

During the trip, Fiyero told Elphaba more about his family. "I think you and my mother will get along very well. You see, she doesn't look anything like my father or me. She's different."

Elphaba, who'd been drowsing, sat up. "How so?"

"You're going to wonder why I didn't tell you this before. It sounded so oddly fairytale-like that I couldn't. But now I might as well, since you're about to meet her. Most men and women in the Vinkus have skin like mine, minus the markings. The markings are different for everyone, depending on status. However, my mother's skin, though it _is_ dark, is not that shade, and there are no markings."

"She's like me, isn't she?"

"In a way. Her skin has a very distinct shade of violet."

"Please tell me that you're not in love with me because I'm like you're mother."

"It had nothing to do with that, I promise." He kissed her forehead. "I wasn't very accepting of my mother's skin… until I met you."

"It took you that long?"

"My mother, unlike you, isn't confident. Nurses raised the kids, including me. She barely took care of us as children, because she thought that even we would hate her for her skin. Because this was the reason she never paid attention to me, I hated it."

"Is she allergic to water?" Elphaba wondered.

"No. She's not allergic to anything."

"Are her parents violet?"

"Not at all."

"Did her mother have an affair?"

"Not that we know of. And believe me, in the Vinkus, we'd know."

"She just looks different."

"Right." Fiyero told a brief version of the story of his parents' marriage. "My father fell in love with her one day when she was hiding out around the tall fields of grass between the village and the castle. He was wandering, alone, and she was sitting quietly and thinking. Actually, he almost stepped on her. They were fourteen. This was before my father's parents had even decided who his arranged bride would be, so he was doing no wrong. My parents got married before turning fifteen, they had me when they were sixteen."

"Why'd your father fall in love with her?"

"He admired that she was shy and obedient, actually."

"So she's not like me, in personality."

"Right. But I still think, because of a common, uh…"

"Deformity?" Elphaba supplied.

"I will _not_ call it that. Let's call it a common physical trait. I think that because of this, you two will get along, even if you're very different otherwise."

"At least I know she won't look down on me for my color."

"And my father won't, either. It would be hypocritical."

"But they can look down on me because my natural color wouldn't be dark, Fiyero. I'm not from the Vinkus. They might not like that."

Fiyero wrapped his arms around her. "Any girl I love, they will accept."

"Then they must be wonderful parents."

"Aside from my mother's little mistake with raising us, they're great."

"If you can love your family, then I can, too." Elphaba said decidedly.

"They'll take some time getting used to you, of course, and your stubbornness. But I think they'll grow to love you."

Fiyero's confidence was infectious and Elphaba stood in the doorway of the castle with no major worries. When the door swung open, she followed Fiyero inside and allowed a servant to lead them into the recreation room, where most of the family was sitting. He'd obviously prepared them for her, since no one was remotely shocked at her appearance.

Fiyero stood in the center of the room, in front of the couch his parents were lounging on, and said, "Mother, Father, I'd like you to meet Elphaba, my girlfriend and, though we have no real or final plans, the love of my life."

Elphaba buried her face in her hands, self-conscious. Everyone thought it was simply embarrassment, but she wiped a tear from the side of her eye before revealing her face again. No one saw or noticed, for which she was grateful; no one should. She felt unexpectedly shy, all of the sudden. "Um, hello."

Fiyero's mother stood up in a flash of dark violet. She hugged her son and then turned to Elphaba. "It's nice to meet you."

Fiyero's father nodded distantly, eying the seven children of various ages who were running rampant around the room. All of them looked distinctly like him.

Fiyero's mother said, "Fiyero's told you about his siblings, I assume?"

Elphaba shook her head.

"Well, the oldest three are upstairs being hormonal, but that's…" Fiyero's mother went on to name all of the children as Elphaba stood with her mouth hanging open. The woman then noticed how tired Elphaba seemed and said, "It's late. Why don't you rest before dinner? I'll have a servant show you your room."

"I can do that, mom." Fiyero offered. "Which guest room is it?"

"The nicest one for the girl that my son, the crown prince, is in love with." She smiled and held out her hand to Elphaba.

Elphaba took her hand and shook it. "Thank you, ma'm. I appreciate being invited out here."

"We were dying to meet this amazing girl Fiyero kept talking about." She waved them away. "Go on upstairs. If I can't have a servant show you the way, I'll at least have someone bring your bags up." Fiyero's mother looked at the bag in Elphaba's hand. "Is that all?"

"I never had much more." Elphaba replied honestly, feeling disturbingly underclass.

"It's better than what I had, I'm sure." Fiyero's mother tried helpfully. "At least until Fiyero's father, here, took me out of the shack I was living in and married me."

"You never had enough, not even now," Fiyero's father argued.

As Fiyero led Elphaba upstairs, she whispered, "Your father treats your mother kind of the way you treat me."

"I'll treat you even better than that." He said solemnly.

"Fiyero…"

"Here we are." He stopped at the doorway of a room half way up a long, winding corridor. "This is where you'll be sleeping."

She opened the door. "This is nicer than my own bedroom," she commented. It wasn't as elegant as the hotel had been, but it was, after all, simply a guest bedroom. Elphaba wondered what the master bedroom looked like, or what Fiyero's bedroom looked like.

"Are you going to take a nap?" Fiyero asked.

"I think so. But it's so damned hot."

"It is the middle of the afternoon."

Elphaba shrugged and put her suitcase on the floor. "Well, I need some rest, though, so I'll have to bear it."

"It gets cooler, I promise."

"I believe you."

"Come lie with me," Fiyero pleaded. "Just sleep in my bedroom next to me."

"What'll your parents think of that?"

"They won't be the ones to come get us, the servants will."

She sighed. "If you want."

"No, if _you_ want."

She thought for a moment. "I do."

He took her hands again and brought her to his bedroom, right down the hall. His bedroom was spacious, clean and fit for the royalty he was, Elphaba thought. Fiyero kissed her on the cheek. "Look, I don't know about you, but I'm not wearing a shirt to sleep during the day."

It didn't faze Elphaba much; she'd seen him naked before. She watched as he stripped down to his shorts. "Would I get shot if I just slept in my bra and underwear?"

"I'd like it." Fiyero grinned.

She hit him with a pillow and undressed. "Screw you." Elphaba bounced onto the bed with him. "Not literally."

"Hush," he mumbled, wrapping her in his arms. "You said you were tired. Get some sleep."

After a few sluggish long kisses and embraces, they fell asleep.

"You barely said 'hi' to your son," Fiyero's mother said to her husband some time later.

"It's been a long day."

"Well, why don't you go wake him up and tell him that dinner's going to be ready in ten minutes?" She suggested.

He nodded and trudged up the stairs to his son's room. Quietly, he opened the door. Within a moment, he closed it again and went to the edge of the stairs. "Elyria, you might want to come up here."

She joined him in a moment's time. "What?"

"Take a look at our son and his girlfriend." He carefully pushed the door.

Fiyero and Elphaba were lying on top of the blankets facing one another, wearing scarcely anything. The strap of Elphaba's bra had fallen from one of her shoulders and Fiyero's hand cupped her breast, thumb and forefinger at the tip; his other hand around her waist and firmly on her bottom. Elphaba's had one arm braced against Fiyero's chest and the other propping her head up slightly. Their legs were tangled around one another's, though it didn't look as if they'd had sex. They were both fast asleep.

Fiyero's mother walked into the room and gently shook her son awake. Being so close to him, Elphaba woke as well. She looked down at herself and hid behind Fiyero as best she could. He grumbled, waited for his senses to come to him and then grinned up guiltily at his mother. "Hi, Mom."

Elphaba squirmed around trying to pull the shoulder strap securely. "Um…"

Fiyero dropped his hand from her breast and slipped the other one from around her waist and rubbed his eyes. "It was hot. We were sleeping."

"Funny," his mother said, "because if it was hot, I'd think you wouldn't be holding onto your girlfriend so tightly. In fact, I'd think she'd be in the guest bedroom where she's supposed to be sleeping."

"I'm sorry. This isn't what it looks like, I swear. We're not like that." Elphaba apologized. "It's just… after the trip here with only one bed we've gotten really used to sleeping next to one another."

"In your underclothes?" Fiyero's father asked.

"Yes, actually. It's very humid and heat rises up here." Fiyero said defensively.

"Fine. Give me the reason for the placement of your hands," Fiyero's mother said, hands on her hips.

Elphaba concealed her face in Fiyero's shoulder.

"Mom, we're twenty-one. Just because we're not married doesn't mean we're not going to _touch_ each other. It's not like we were having sex in my bed or something. Besides, I begged her to come in here. It's my fault."

Fiyero's father said, "He's right, Elyria. They're much older than we were, they aren't having sex, if they can behave responsibly and only touch one another, let them do what they want." He bent down over the bed. "Fiyero, welcome home. And Elphaba, it's good to meet you."

Elphaba wouldn't look up; she felt a bit exposed.

Fiyero's mother nodded and took her husband's hand. "Honey, let's go downstairs and let them change for dinner."

Just before the older woman closed the door, Elphaba glanced at her and smiled gratefully. When the door had shut, Elphaba scrambled over Fiyero and pulled her dress on. "That was the most embarrassing moment in my entire life."

"Why? Other people know more than the fact that we've touched one another."

"They've never seen us! At this point, I'm thinking the amount of people who have seen me in only my undergarments or less is getting a bit too high."

He chuckled. "True. I don't want anyone else setting eyes on that body of yours."

Elphaba kicked her heels. "Your parents have eleven kids?"

"Either they have sex too much or my mom's very fertile." He shrugged.

"If we did get married, we wouldn't be expected to have that many kids, would we?"

"No," Fiyero said, and then added jokingly, "only ten."


	27. Marriage Talk!

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Marriage Talk**

They didn't find themselves sneaking off to make love as often as they'd thought they would. Even the times when they did wander the castle in search of a private place with commodious furniture, they'd get distracted by some discovery or other. There were depictions of tribal gatherings on the walls in the cellar, and diaries of Fiyero's ancestors stored in the attic. Fiyero and Elphaba were never bored.

As Fiyero had guessed, Elphaba got along wonderfully with his parents, especially his mother. Often times Fiyero would wake up, knock on the guest room door in search of Elphaba only to find it empty because she was downstairs having some kind of "girl talk" with his mother, talks he was always sent away during. He was happy that Elphaba was on good terms with his parents, but he did resent being told to attend to some chore or other while his mother talked to his girlfriend about Oz only knew what, and probably about him.

One evening, in the living room, Fiyero and Elphaba sat, relaxed, on the couch, cuddling and discussing just about anything that came to either of their minds. Fiyero's father and mother were walking around the castle, chasing after one child and then another, and occasionally entering the room, unperturbed by the affection the couple was showing. They were used to it. It seemed chaste and, besides, it was kind of cute. At some point, Fiyero said, "It's good that you and my mom are becoming friendly."

"Yeah," Elphaba agreed, "this would have been a very, very long holiday if she and I disliked one another."

"And it wouldn't go very well, you know, if you two were at odds and you and I got married," Fiyero added.

Elphaba shoved him away from her, then. "What have I told you? Fiyero, I can't understand why you possibly thought it was smart to bring up the marriage thing. I'm not a typical female; I'm not going to jump into your arms and beg you to marry me. I don't even _like_ the idea. Stop talking about it!"

"We've been together a year and a half, Elphaba."

"I'm sick of every other not-so-subtle comment you make being about marriage. I get it and I don't like it. Leave me be!"

"How can you love me and be so opposed to marrying me?" He challenged.

"I am not that opposed to it," she explained, struggling to keep her calm, "I just don't think I want to discuss it!"

"Maybe we need to, since we aren't on the same page, here."

Elphaba stood up. "We haven't been on the same page for months with this thing, Fiyero, and you don't seem to realize that!" She stomped out of the room only to run into Fiyero's mother. "Oh! Sorry, I…"

The woman had heard everything. At only thirty-seven years old, she could still understand some of Elphaba's other dilemmas, but this one baffled her. "Come. Let's talk for a few minutes."

Elphaba nodded as the two headed up to her room. "All right, ma'm."

"I've told you, call me Elyria."

Elphaba didn't say anything. She felt uncomfortable addressing an adult that she respected so casually. Instead, she entered her room and sat down on her bed, looking at the woman expectantly. Knowing that the woman had heard the majority of the conversation she'd just had with Fiyero didn't bother Elphaba as much as it might've. At the moment, she was just incredibly relieved that neither she nor Fiyero had made any sort of comment about sex.

"My son loves you." Elyria said simply.

"And I love him." Elphaba replied.

"I'm aware of that. Has he formally proposed to you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "That's part of what I don't like about this situation. First of all, though, I have plans made for at least a year past graduation. I'm supposed to go and work for the Wizard, and I don't know what that would encompass, where I'd have to live and how much I'd be able to see Fiyero. Second of all, I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to know he's going to ask. Even if I were sure about my future, I wouldn't accept unless he made it more unexpected. I don't want to discuss it with him and then have it just be agreed on. I never thought I'd get married, but now… if I did, I want him to propose, not have an entire conversation with me about it all the time."

"I see where you're coming from. My son's a little pushy, with some things."

Elphaba smiled. "A little."

Elyria looked around the room. The bed was made and it looked almost unoccupied. The majority of the closet was empty hangers, and the drawers in the dresser counted up to ten, and only one was full, a second half-full. Everything else looked unlived in. She remembered seeing the girl's bag when she'd arrived and thinking it was meager. Nothing in the room signified that Elphaba was staying there. All that was really different was some sort of emerald carving place on the dresser, in the middle in front of the mirror. Getting up, she moved to study it.

Elphaba leapt off the bed. "Don't!"

The woman gave Elphaba an inquisitive look.

"That… that's very special to me. I get uncomfortable when people touch it, that's all." Elphaba flushed.

"I only meant to look at it." Elyria assured her.

Elphaba shrugged and turned towards the window. "Fiyero gave it to me."

Studying the inscription, Fiyero's mother felt a pang of sorrow at having to share her son's love with another. But this would happen, and would happen with Fiyero's other siblings as well, she knew. "It's very pretty."

"I don't know what he went through to get it," Elphaba said wonderingly.

"He'd go through hell and high water for some things. And then there are things, of course, like his schoolwork, that he wouldn't go through anything for." Elyria sat down next to Elphaba.

Elphaba chuckled lightly.

"If my son comes to his senses and does officially ask you to marry him, would you agree to it?"

"I think I might." Elphaba answered truthfully.

"Good. I like you. You're much different from my son and I think you would be good for him. Besides, the two most oddly colored women in Oz in one family would be quite amusing."

If it had been anyone else making a comment about Elphaba's color and laughing, she would've snapped. But Fiyero's mother was different, too, and thus her joking was allowed. Elphaba giggled. "That would be interesting."

"Now, what's this business about working for the Wizard?" Elyria asked.

Elphaba explained to her what Madame Morrible had said and what the Wizard had said. She even included Glinda's horrifying suggestion and her own beliefs of what she'd like to change in Oz. "But if things don't work out, I might end up anywhere."

"Or here. Your friend did have a good idea."

"Maybe."

After a long pause Elyria said, "Marry my son. Please."

Just as Elphaba had left the room, Fiyero's father had entered. He hadn't heard as much as Fiyero's mother had, but he'd gotten the gist of the conversation. Fiyero's father didn't know where the young woman had gone, nor where his wife had run off to. She'd said she'd be downstairs and he hadn't run into her yet. Watching his son sigh heavily and bury his face in his hands, he cleared his throat in the doorway. "Son."

"Oh!" Fiyero looked up. "Dad. Sorry."

"Have a little argument with that girl of yours?" He sat down next to Fiyero.

"You could say that."

"Son, you've got to give her some time. Out here, women are married off much earlier than anywhere else."

"I know that, Dad. And it's much later already." Fiyero stated.

"Not enough for her, apparently. She's not ready for that. Or maybe she is. But I don't think she likes the way you're approaching it."

"What do you mean?"

"Fiyero, women are strange."

"That doesn't tell me anything I didn't know five minutes ago."

"I wasn't done." His father scolded.

"Sorry."

"Anyway, as I was saying, women don't think like us. They like surprises and romance."

"Not this one. Elphaba's not typical."

"Not always, no. But there are some things that most women have in common, and if she didn't, I'd be pretty shocked. She just acts more distant than some, but that doesn't mean certain things aren't going to be the same. Marriage isn't a discussion."

"With her, everything's a discussion," Fiyero muttered.

"When you two started seeing one another, was that a discussion?"

"Yes, actually, it was."

Fiyero's father raised his eyebrows, but continued. "Well, that's beside the point. I don't think it's wise to mention it to her for a while. If you want to marry her, you ask. You cannot just bring it up and see what she thinks, at least not so often. Women want to be proposed to, and they want it to seem somewhat random. They don't want you to sit down with them, talk about it and then just _decide_."

"It's hard to tell with her, Dad. There are so many things that are different from the way most girls would act that I don't know when she'd act the same."

"I'm telling you right now. Most women will act the same over several topics: marriage, sex and children."

"That's another thing," Fiyero said quietly, "I don't think I want to have children, if I marry her. I mean, I know I need a descendent to the throne, but I don't want what you had, no offense, and have children right and left. I want to wait a long time before any of that. But that's not the custom here."

"I think that'll be fine. You shouldn't be concerned with that, quite yet. I think you should worry more about actually getting married, first."

Fiyero nodded.

The two men sat in silence for a long time until some rustling in the doorway caught their attention and brought light to both of their eyes. Elyria and Elphaba walked into the room and Elphaba sat down next to Fiyero again and took his hand. "I'm sorry."

Elyria nudged her husband and he put an arm around her shoulders and they left the room. Being a woman, and a mother, and a bit nosy, Elyria insisted on standing somewhat close to the open doorway.

"No, Fae, _I'm_ sorry," Fiyero told her. He resolved not to bring up marriage for a time, quite some time.

Elyria had to stifle her giggles against her husband's chest as she peeked in on Fiyero and Elphaba sharing a sweet, loving kiss.


	28. Suspicions

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Suspicions**

School began again and conflict died down. However, several occurrences rose Elphaba's suspicions to heights that drove her mad, and she didn't know exactly _what_ she was suspicious of. All she knew was that Fiyero was doing something that she wasn't in on, and she didn't like it.

First, she'd come back from one of her classes to find him sitting in her dorm room, having a grand old time with Nanny and Glinda. Nessa had sulked in the other room, of course, as she tended to do whenever Fiyero was around nowadays. Elphaba had heard him say that hated being around Nanny with or without her because it made him feel awkward hundreds of times, and then suddenly there he was, voluntarily talking with Nanny and Glinda without any tense feeling to it at all. When she'd come in, he'd stood up, looked at the clock, mumbled something about not watching the time, kissed her quickly on the cheek and left.

That was one moment, but it had not stopped there. Perhaps if it had, she would have let her mind dismiss it. But no.

The fall holidays brought Elphaba's father unexpectedly into town. Well, at least _she_ hadn't expected him. She and Fiyero had been in the café, sitting close and sipping tea when Frex had just walked in. He claimed he'd been by the dorms, but Elphaba hadn't been there. Since when had he cared where Elphaba was? Nessa had been at the dorms, didn't that matter?

Fiyero behaved admirably in the presence of a man who he knew was aware that he'd taken Elphaba's virginity. Frex had barely introduced himself before Fiyero was pulling up a chair and inviting her father to sit with them. Elphaba gaped.

"So," her father said, a bit uneasy, "is this the young man you mentioned on the few occasions when you write?"

Elphaba, still stunned, nodded dazedly.

"Fiyero," Fiyero shook Frex's hand amiably.

Frex looked at Fiyero closely. "Ah, yes. You are a prince?"

"From the Vinkus. The Arjiki tribe."

"Currently the tribe with the most power and control out there, I've heard."

Fiyero shrugged modestly. "We might be. It's a different view from inside, though."

"I'm sure it must be. When do you take the throne, according to tradition?" Frex inquired.

"When my father becomes incapable. That normally means that I'll take the throne when my dad's about fifty-five."

Frex smiled. He was barely under fifty-five himself. "That would be soon, then?"

"I'll be in my late thirties," Fiyero estimated.

"What'll you do until then?"

"I'll probably help out with ruling the tribe and such. At some point, I'd like to get married, maybe have children. I'm not rushing that, though, since I've got some time." Fiyero answered, looking Frex directly in the eyes.

"I see. That sounds reasonable. Elphaba," Frex turned to his daughter, "I heard so very little from you about the actual visit with the Wizard. What did he say?"

Elphaba quickly reiterated (for what felt like the millionth time) what had gone on at the Palace. She noted that Fiyero had draped an arm around her shoulders lazily and was grinning happily at her.

"Don't you think it's only natural that you, the Third Thropp Descending, rule the east, though?"

Elphaba bit her lip. "Poor mother never wanted to burden me with that, did she? Well, see, Father, I think Nessa would rule better there. There are more unionists in Munchkinland then there are in the west. I don't know what the formal rules are, but if I should still believe this when the time comes to split up the power, it should be possible to hand over the position."

"And where would you live in the west?"

"I… I'm not sure."

Frex glanced at Fiyero, blinked, and then smiled at the both of them. "Well, it's been good meeting you, Fiyero. And it's nice to see you, Elphaba. I'll be in the area for a few more days. I might stop by the dorms or something." He got up anxiously and left then, leaving the couple to sit in silence.

Elphaba and Fiyero stared at each other. "What the hell?"

Fiyero laughed and ruffled Elphaba's hair. "Your father was checking up on you, I guess."

"No. He never does. He 'checks up' on Nessa. Never me."

"Maybe he checked up on Nessa and wanted to take a fast look at how you were doing." Fiyero suggested innocently.

"I don't know. That was so odd. He seemed to like you, though."

"As much as he can, anyway, with his thoughts on a few of the things your sister's probably convinced him that I talked you into."

"Oh, he knows I do what I want. He's well aware most things are my fault, whether I'm involved with a larger group or not."

"But that doesn't mean he thinks I'm the most innocent man in the world."

"No, not at all. You did it, too."

"'Did it'?"

"Skipped class, had sex… you know, the usual sinful stuff." Elphaba teased.

"Avaric's going to hell," Fiyero said.

"That he is. But I don't know if skipping class and having sex is the reason why."

"Even if it is, it's because he does it in excess."

"Lucky you. You'd be doing it in excess if I didn't slap some sense into you every once in a while," Elphaba joked.

"You know I wouldn't!"

"I know, I'm kidding." She kissed his cheek. "I'm still a little freaked out by my father looking for me and showing up here, though."

Fiyero looked away. "Maybe it was me. After finding out what we did, maybe he decided he wanted to meet me."

"If he had, he'd have been a lot less polite." Elphaba told him.

"I don't know. But he does have a point. The Wizard said he wanted you to go live 'out in the world' for a year before he hires you. Where are you going to live?"

"Maybe I'll go into the city."

"Oh."

She gave Fiyero a searching glance. Elphaba had expected more protest from him; he hated the idea of her in the city and her running off. "Aren't you going to argue with me?"

"Do you really think that, when the time comes, I won't beg to live with you after we graduate?" He answered.

"I'm not so sure I'd let you. I like my privacy. But I don't think I'd object to you living somewhere nearby and spending the occasional night at my place." Elphaba leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You live with someone now."

"With you it would be different."

"Why? Because you have some sort of silly issue with me seeing you naked?"

She glared at him. "I never said that."

"You didn't have to."

She sighed and sat up straight. "Fiyero, let me have _some_ dignity, okay? I lost my virginity to you and we're not married. No one sees me naked until I'm married to him, end of story," she resolved. That gave her a good enough excuse.

Fiyero thought about this for a moment. "That makes sense, actually. Fine. But that won't stop me from being near you for that year. I'm not going to let you get away."

"Is that a threat?" Elphaba asked playfully.

"No. People don't always go through with threats. What I just said I mean, and I'm going through with it. You'll never get away from me, Fae. You're mine."

"I'm my own person." But she was only half-serious.

"But your love belongs to me." He said confidently.

"It does." She promised. Elphaba curled up and scooted towards him even more. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around, Yero."

"You need me?"

She flushed and stared at her hands. "I might be able to survive without you. But I wouldn't like it," she grudged.

Knowing she wouldn't admit to anything more, he hugged her close. At least he'd gotten her to say that much. "Hey, over winter break I've got to head home. My parents claim they need to talk to me without the distraction of you," he lifted her chin, "so I can't even try to convince you to come along."

She eyed him curiously. "Okay. So?"

"Nothing. I'm just letting you know."

"Right."

The day before the winter holidays started, Fiyero came to visit Elphaba's dorm to say goodbye. Nanny, Nessa and Glinda all gathered in the room, as well. Everyone had tea and was almost merry (again, Elphaba wondered about Fiyero's sudden ease with Nanny, but couldn't see where it would take her to be suspicious, anyway). Fiyero finished his tea and sat down on Elphaba's bed, wrapping his arms around her. She squirmed a bit, feeling everyone watching them.

Glinda only beamed at them. "Oh! Elphie, I wanted to show you something."

"Can you do it later?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, Glinda. In a few minutes, please?" Fiyero kissed the top of Elphaba's head. Whispering he said, "I'm going to miss you more than anything."

"I don't think you mean more than anything. I think you'd miss breathing, if you had to stop that, a little more."

"It's the same thing. I'm not sure I could live without either."

Elphaba blinked tears out of her eyes. "Don't say that."

"What?"

"Please. You're making me nervous. Fiyero, you could go one without me. You'd hate it, but I'm not your life."

"If you say so. But you're a large part of my life, then."

"I'm not going to fight you anymore." Elphaba murmured. "I'll miss you, too."

"Elphie!" Glinda whined. "I want to show you this now."

She thought she saw something flash in Fiyero's eyes when he turned back towards Glinda, but she couldn't read him. Elphaba chuckled and waved at Glinda, "Go ahead, if you're so eager."

"If Fiyero says so."

"What?" Elphaba narrowed her eyes.

"I don't want to interrupt your last little meeting before the holidays."

"It's fine now, Glinda." Fiyero said.

"Okay. I learned this new spell." Glinda bounded across the room, grabbing her wand. She opened a book that wasn't her usual sorcery book.

"Wait, what does this new spell do?"

"It's a surprise! That's the point, duh!"

Elphaba groaned but said, "Go on."

Glinda squinted intently at the words on the page and began to mumble some mystic-sounding language. Elphaba watched and realized that the wand was pointed at her. Fiyero was staring at her. Before she could say anything, her world went blank.


	29. He put WHAT in the ice cream?

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: He put WHAT in the ice cream?**

She stretched out her arms and rolled over in a very large bed. The sheets beside her were warm, but unoccupied. What was going on? Alarmed, Elphaba sat up in a panic. "Hello?"

Footsteps neared her and the lamp beside the bed was switched on, forcing her to cover her eyes until she could get used to the shock of light in her vision. Fiyero stood by the bed and looked down at her tenderly. "I was beginning to think it wouldn't wear off. Thank Oz."

"What did you do?" She demanded, jumping out of bed.

"I didn't do anything. It was Glinda's spell. I wanted to surprise you and take you on a vacation over the holidays, and Glinda had this idea. The spell she used had you pretty much catatonic for the past three days. You could walk around if led, eat if fed, dress if given clothes, but you didn't speak or really do much." Fiyero shrugged.

"What? And what did you do to me while I was like that?"

"Absolutely nothing. We shared a compartment on a train, but there were two beds and we slept separately the entire time. I left the room whenever you dressed or cleaned yourself up. Elphaba, I'd never take advantage of you like that. Glinda made sure of that before even agreeing to learn that spell."

"Couldn't you have just put me in a blindfold?"

"You would've known we were going _somewhere_."

She folded her arms across her chest, finding that she was in a nightgown. "Where are we?"

He waved his hands around. "We're not quite in the Vinkus. This is the hotel my parents use the most, and we have the king's suite. It's almost dinnertime. Would you please get dressed and join me on the balcony in a few minutes?"

"All right," she said hesitantly. Fiyero left the room and she looked around. Her things were in the closet and the drawers on the right side of the bed. She wondered if she'd put them there or if Fiyero had. Examining them, she figured she'd had to have, because only she would have ordered them the way they were.

After further inspection, the bed proved to be adorned with pillows of the softest feathers she'd ever known. The mattress fit her body perfectly, though the imprint of her touch disappeared the moment she pulled her hand away from it. Though not expensive fine cloth, the blankets were nicer than most hotels' and the carpet was soft under her feet. No wonder this was the king's suite.

Digging through her things, she found a dress between her usual dresses that was bit more fancy than what she usually wore. Only Glinda could've picked it out and snuck it in there. She grumbled, "What were they? Both in on this little game?"

"Elphaba?" Fiyero called from another room. "Dinner's at the door. I'll have them set it up on the balcony for us. Hurry up, if you can."

"Okay, darling." She called back, wanting to puke at her own words. Elphaba never called him "darling", it had just seemed to fit the situation. Pulling the new dress from her closet, she changed out of her nightgown and into the sparkling halter, back-baring black dress that went down to her ankles. Gazing at herself in the mirror, she mumbled, "Wow…" Quickly, she slipped on some shoes and tried to slink elegantly through the rooms (there was more than one room to this suite?). Reaching the balcony, she gasped. "Fiyero, it's amazing."

"A feast. It's been hard to get you to eat." Fiyero was standing beside a small, private table on the spacious balcony. He took her hand graciously and led her to her chair, pulling it out. "Sit down, my love."

She sat down and smiled to herself as he pushed her chair in. Fiyero was in a suit, looking charming, as only a prince could. "You've certainly gone through some trouble to arrange all of this."

"Not as much as you think," he sat down across from her.

They ate, and when Elphaba was sure she was full, Fiyero rang for a waiter and ordered dessert. Elphaba protested meekly, insisting she'd explode if he fed her any more. But he had dessert brought out nonetheless. "You've never… how'd you know I liked…?"

"Nanny." He grinned. "Do you think I didn't have to get her to approve to this, too? Now come on. It's mint-chocolate-chip ice cream. You can't refuse."

Attempting daintiness, she took a small spoonful of ice cream and began to eat. "You never stop, do you?"

"Oh, I will, for the night, once we've had a good time, gone to bed, made love and I've gotten what I want."

"Are you saying what you want is sex?"

"Keep eating."

As odd as his response had been, she couldn't resist the delicious gourmet ice cream. Suddenly her teeth hit metal. She looked at her spoon, thinking perhaps a piece of it had broken off and had gotten into her mouth along with the ice cream she'd scooped into it. But the spoon was full and fine. What in Oz was in her mouth?

"Something wrong?" He asked.

She sucked until all that was left in her mouth was some sort of metallic tasting solid and spat it out into her hand. "Fiyero!"

"Okay, so not the cleanest way, but I can get it polished…" He placed his hand over her open palm and the golden band in it.

She let him take the ring from her. "I… what?" Elphaba blinked rapidly, bewildered.

Fiyero got up from his chair, holding out an open hand to stop her from rising, too. "I know you didn't like the idea of standing up as I kneeled, so I figured this might be a bit better." He kneeled beside her chair and took her hand, kissing it. "Elphaba, my sweet, my love, will you marry me?"

She gulped, looking at her hand, at his face, at the ring, at the table, at the night around them. Her hand went limp in his. Elphaba only stared at him.

He took a deep breath. "Okay. I was prepared for this. I understand. I shouldn't have rushed and asked you." Fiyero was about to draw his hand away.

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, no, you should've. And yes, I'll… well, yeah." She said quickly.

Fiyero's eyes lit up. "You'll marry me?"

At a loss for words, Elphaba nodded weakly.

He slipped the ring onto her finger and stood. Taking her other hand in his, he helped her to stand, as well. Fiyero ran his thumb along her chin. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"I was sure for a moment there you were going to refuse."

Elphaba smiled and nuzzled his cheek. "Never."

"You didn't seem to want to marry me earlier last year."

"I didn't want to talk about it. I never said I didn't want to for certain."

"It's a good thing I changed my strategy, then." He fastened both hands on each of her hips. "I was thinking we'd get married this summer, right after graduation."

"I was just thinking that marrying you this summer would be perfect." She whispered, just before he swept her into a sweet, drugging kiss. Fiyero got what he wanted.

Halfway through the next morning, just as Elphaba had gotten up and dressed, Fiyero snuck up behind her, slipping his hands around her belly. "This was only the first half of the trip. We leave for our second destination in an hour."

"Where?"

"Kiamo Ko. They're expecting at least me, if not you. I told them I'd return with or without you, depending on whether or not you accepted my proposal." He mumbled into her neck.

"How long?"

"Until about evening. We'll be there just in time for Lurlinemas Eve dinner."

"It's Lurlinemas Eve?"

Fiyero laughed, his voice vibrating against her skin. "Mmm hmmm."

"Oh. So your parents knew about this little vacation?"

"Sort of. They don't have any idea I refused the option of another twin bed in the next room and that I planned on making slow, sweet love to you after you accepted." He replied seductively.

"That lasted for hours," she tilted her head back and pressed her nose to his chin.

"I timed it," he informed her.

"Oh, you did?"

"I'm surprised we woke up so early, for the time we went to sleep."

"Did you track how many times I screamed?" She teased.

"As a matter of fact, I did. Five times."

She closed her eyes, "God, that was so good."

"Oh, wait, it was six, if you count the time before we actually were into it."

She slipped out of his grasp and turned around to face him. "When we're married, I want you to do that to me every night of our honeymoon, except even longer and make it seven." Elphaba challenged playfully.

"Believe me, I'll do more than that, and in every way possible."

The desire in his eyes made her weak at the knees. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I." Fiyero, struggling to soothe the hardening in the nether regions of his body, switched subjects; "I had the maid pack most of our bags earlier this morning. We'd better check the room over and then head out, though."

Elphaba eyed his trousers and giggled. "A little aroused?"

"Don't make it worse," he pleaded. "Really, we should get going."

"I don't think you want to leave the room like that."

"Which I why I said we should check to make sure everything's in order." Fiyero moved towards the bedside table and began going through the drawers.

Elphaba smirked to herself and headed to the closet. "Whatever you say."

After a few slams of drawers and sweeps of his hands, Fiyero turned to Elphaba, "We're good over here."

"Here, too." She affirmed. "Looking better," she commented, looking him up and down.

"Okay, then. Let's get moving."

"Make love to me in the carriage," she suggested, pulling him out of the room and down the hallway.

"Elphaba!"

"What?" She pouted.

"You never ask me to do that in such odd places."

"Well, today is different."

"What about the driver?"

"He sits on the outside of the carriage so he can handle the horses. We won't bother him."

"I'm sure your cries might attract some attention."

"Then tell him before we leave to ignore it, and that we're just married or something," she tried.

"He works for my family! He'll know we're not married."

"It's not like he'll tell your parents. Just tell him we've just gotten engaged and we're excited about it."

Fiyero rolled his eyes as he headed towards the front desk. "Checking out. King's Suite."

The clerk nodded. "The carriage is waiting just outside, sir."

Elphaba was skipping. She swung their hands when he took hers again. "Please, Yero? It's not my fault that I can't get enough of you."

"Are you saying I don't give you enough?"

"No, no, of course not. You give me more than enough. But that makes me want it more often. We'll be all alone…"

"You know I'm going to."

The carriage driver received quite a large tip.


	30. Can we skip that part?

**Chapter Thirty: Can we skip that part?**

When they arrived at the castle, Elphaba and Fiyero were lying across the carriage bench naked, the lantern off for Elphaba's comfort, still gasping for air. The carriage driver knocked on the door, not at all ignorant to what the couple had been doing during the majority of the ride. Fiyero poked his head out and asked the driver if he could wait a few minutes before announcing their arrival. Mumbling to himself, the carriage driver agreed and then grumbled, "It's not as if she didn't announce her own little 'arrivals' about three times during the ride, anyway."

In a few minutes, Elphaba and Fiyero stood outside the carriage, brushing each other off lovingly and looking at each other adoringly. Arm around Elphaba's shoulders, Fiyero dug through his pocket and handed the driver double his salary, which cheered the driver immediately. Scratching the back of his head and turning a deep red in the cheeks, Fiyero mentioned, "Don't worry about anything. We cleaned up."

The driver nodded knowingly and went to park the carriage, feed and groom his horses. "Well, at least I got a good pay out of it." Later, when he went to clean the inside of the carriage, he was surprised that the young man had truly meant it when he'd assured the driver they'd fixed everything up. "I'll be damned. I can't even tell that they were making it like animals in here."

Fiyero and Elphaba stood in the looming doorway of the castle, fingers intertwined. The door flew open and Fiyero's mother squealed the moment she caught sight of Elphaba. "She said yes!" She hugged Elphaba. "I thought you would! Welcome to the family."

"Mom," Fiyero cautioned, embarrassed, "don't get so excited, you'll make her re-think her decision."

"Nothing's going to do that," Elphaba laughed.

"See?" Elyria folded her arms over her chest. "Now, come inside! Oh, I can't wait to start planning. There are some things we've got to get done now, before you two return for the summer." To Elphaba, she started chattering. "We've got to get you fitted for your gown, and for some cute little get-ups for the honey-moon!"

Elphaba choked, ignoring Fiyero's chuckles behind her. "Can we skip that part, please?"

"What?"

"The lingerie…"

Fiyero cut in and put a hand on Elphaba's shoulder, his eyes dancing. "No way. We're not skipping anything."

"Suddenly I'm wondering why I agreed to marry you," she threatened.

"I'm not backing off." He told her.

"But… I…" She sputtered. Elphaba groaned and gave in. He knew she wouldn't refuse to marry him just because of one thing. "Fine."

Elyria turned to Fiyero for a moment. "Now, Fiyero, go tell your father! Elphaba, don't worry. It's not nearly as dreadful as you think. If you'd like, I could tell you about my wedding night."

Fiyero, coughing uncontrollably, left the room.

"Weren't you sixteen?"

"Fifteen."

"Were you even ready for… that?"

"Of course. A woman's body is ready the first time she menstruates. That's what the system is telling you. It's shouting 'hello, I'm ready!'"

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "I can only imagine it would hurt terribly."

"Only for a second. Is it the sex that's scaring you?"

"No," Elphaba said quickly. "I'm fine with that. I mean…" Her cheeks darkened. "I'm not too concerned with _that_, but I'm not going to act like some showgirl and walk around in skimpy underwear." She declared.

"No, you aren't. Because it's just for your husband." Elyria patted Elphaba's arm comfortingly. "Now, don't freak out if you don't actually bleed. Some women from different parts of Oz are less likely to bleed."

"Like Munchkinland?"

"Probably. It's just because activities are different and certain behaviors might, you know, change things."

Elphaba thanked Oz she wasn't going to be scorned if she didn't bleed, for she knew she wouldn't. No one in Fiyero's family would ever have to know what she and Fiyero had done. "Are Fiyero and I going to be expected to have children right away?"

"Not at all. In fact, before your wedding, the midwife can give you a potion (only to be used once) that will prevent pregnancy for six months. I chose not to take it. You see, my husband's father had passed away just before we were married, and I knew that the tribe wouldn't be very confident in their king until he'd had a child or two."

"There's a potion?"

"They haven't really perfected it. If it's used more than twice or so, it can cause infertility, so most women take it once or twice in the early years of their marriage." Elyria shrugged. "I'm not sure of the details. As I said, I didn't take it. You can talk to midwife. She, like the rest of the tribe, will be at the wedding."

Elphaba took in all of the information she'd been fed and then asked, "Can we sit down?"

"Come into the sitting room. I'm sure Fiyero and my husband are done talking." Elyria took the young woman into the room where Fiyero and his father were sitting, discussing something in low voices.

The moment he saw her, Fiyero smiled and moved over on a couch. "Here, love."

She sat down wearily and curled up in Fiyero's arms. Elphaba felt over informed and exhausted. "Thank you."

Elyria beamed at the couple. "Oh, Elphaba, you poor dear, you look exhausted. I thought the two of you would've slept on the way here; your clothes were so ruffled. I suppose no matter what you do, reading or sleeping, in a carriage, the space makes it hard to keep your dress straightened out."

Fiyero ran a hand through Elphaba's hair. "She's been pretty anxious since we left this morning."

Elphaba bit her lip. "Yeah. I could barely sit still on the way here."

Fiyero winked at her and then turned to his parents. "Can we get her some food as soon as we can and get her to bed?"

"Aw, look at that, he's already taking care of her," Elyria observed. "Dinner's at the table. I almost forgot."

Elphaba ate as fast as she could and collapsed on her bed in the guestroom. Fiyero watched from the doorway. "Regretting the carriage ride?"

"Not in the least," she muttered. "But I wouldn't repeat it right this moment."

He came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Have the energy for a kiss goodnight?"

"You can kiss me goodnight. I might not kiss you back."

He planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too." That was all the strength she had, and she fell asleep.

In the morning, she woke to an incessant tapping noise from outside. She wandered towards the window and looked out of see several workers beginning work on some sort of quarters, still in the boundaries of the castle, but at the far edge (so far from the castle that she could barely discern much). Fiyero came in and joined her at the window. "That's where we're going to live until I take the throne."

"Can't we live here?"

"With ten of my siblings? I don't think so. We need a little privacy, at least for a few years. And don't worry, the mansion will be big enough."

"Mansion?"

"Five stories." Fiyero said. "I had to promise all of my extra savings."

"Why?"

"Because I love you. I want us to live a halfway normal life for a little while. I've already mapped out every room and such, if you don't mind."

"That's fine. Where's our room?"

"It'll be on the second floor. Is that okay with you?"

"Wonderful." Elphaba gazed out the window dreamily.

"It'll be ready by the wedding, at the latest. We'll have the entire summer as our honeymoon. The servants quarters will be in the backyard. I'm thinking we only really need a few servants."

"We don't need any, but if you insist."

"We'll have about five. They'll make themselves scarce unless we need them, especially during the honeymoon."

"Did you say the entire summer?"

"Yup. About three months. Just think of it, in half a year, I'll be leading you into that fully built and furnished mansion and making love to you all night on a new, luxurious bed, all our own."

"That sounds so good." Elphaba hugged herself. After a pause, she said, "But until then, let's abstain, okay?"

"I was thinking something similar. That way it's even better when we have our honeymoon."

"I can't believe I'm standing here listening to this." Elphaba buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I'm marrying you. This is… amazing."

"No. When we're married, that will be really amazing."

She wondered what would happen if she did find herself useless to the government. If she was married, she couldn't very well run off into the city and become a rebel and join the Resistance. Having a husband rooted her somewhere, kept her from losing it. It wasn't a shame that she couldn't be independent, she realized. Elphaba liked having something to keep her focused, keep her sane. "It will be. I don't know what to say. You're crazy for building that mansion."

Fiyero shook his head. "No. I'm a prince. As outrageous as some of the things I do may seem to you, Fae, they're not as excessive as you think. Think of it as my wedding present to you."

"And how am I supposed to find something to give you to top that?" Elphaba demanded.

"You're not supposed to. That's how. Elphaba, all I want that you could ever give me is you."

"And you're all I want, but you're still giving me more. When will you stop?"

"This is special, Elphaba. It's for our wedding. And it's for me as much as it is for you, really. I designed it on my terms, after all."

Elphaba thought for a few moments. "It better damn well have a library."


	31. Who knew?

**Chapter Thirty-One: Who knew?**

They set a date (the day after it was estimated they'd arrive back, Fiyero claimed he couldn't wait any longer), and invitations were ready to be sent out. Elyria cried when they had to return to Shiz.

As Elphaba stepped into the dorm room, Glinda assaulted her with hugs. "You're engaged! I can see it in your face; you look so happy. Oh, I hoped you'd say 'yes'. I'm so glad for you."

"How long did the two of you work behind my back to plan that out?" But Elphaba was not angry. She was giggling.

"A damn long time."

Elphaba's eyes widened. Glinda didn't swear much.

"Oops! I'm sorry. Anyway, I've already decided what I'm getting you as a wedding gift."

"And apparently, so has Fiyero." Elphaba mumbled.

"Huh?"

"He didn't tell you about that part?"

"What part? Oooh, Elphie, tell!"

"He's having a mansion built for us. I think he's insane and that we could live in the castle happily, but he insists." Elphaba shrugged.

"A mansion? That's so exciting! I wish I could catch a man who'd build me a mansion."

"You will, Glinda, sooner or later."

Nanny wheeled Nessa into the room, and her father followed. "Fabala," he said, looking like he was struggling for words. Finally, he sighed and said simply, "I was wrong."

"You knew, too, didn't you?" Elphaba realized.

"He wrote to your father," Nanny piped in. "That man of yours was adamant on it, in fact. Fiyero came in several times while you were out to work things out with your father and I."

Elphaba turned to Fiyero, who was in the doorway with her bag, still. No one had noticed him amongst all the commotion. "You are quite sneaky, aren't you?"

"Not normally. I was so worried you'd figure it out." He admitted.

"I thought something was going on!" She exclaimed. "I never expected it to be what it was, not in the least."

"That's what I hoped for." Fiyero put her bag down and squeezed her hand. "I'm going to let you and your family be alone for a while. I'll see you when classes start tomorrow, okay?"

"All right." She grabbed him before he got out the door, though. "Wait!" Elphaba wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him very deeply. "I love you."

Fiyero smiled lopsidedly. "I love you, too." He headed down the hall.

On his way down the stairs, he ran into Madame Morrible. "Master Fiyero, it's getting quite late. What in Oz are you doing in the girls' dormitories at this time of night?"

"My fiancé and I have just returned from vacation and I was bringing her bag to her dorm for her, that's all." Fiyero skipped merrily down the stairs, leaving Madame Morrible gaping in his wake.

Back in her dorm room, everyone was still gathered around Elphaba. "I'm tired," she protested, "I'd like to get to sleep."

"In a few minutes," Glinda waved her comment away. "How did he ask you? He wouldn't tell me too many details."

"I'll tell you later." Elphaba said. "That's a secret."

Glinda glowed with anticipation.

Nessa cleared her throat and the room became silent. "Sister, congratulations. I am happy to know that you and Fiyero have chosen to join before the Unnamed God and become husband and wife."

Elphaba was too giddy and sleep-deprived to make a smart remark and only said, "Thank you." Loudly she asked, "Now, may I please get to bed? Classes start up again tomorrow."

Nanny and Nessa left the room but Frex lingered for a moment. "I only came to see your return. Unfortunately, I have duties back in Munchkinland. I won't see you again until the wedding. Congratulations, Fabala."

Elphaba nodded slowly as her father left the dorms. "What a night."

There was a rapping on the door. "Miss Elphaba?"

"Damn, it's Morrible. What the hell does she want?" Elphaba grumbled.

Glinda looked at her and shrugged. She jumped to open the door. "Yes?"

Madame Morrible stepped into the room. "I was just patrolling the hallways when I ran into Master Fiyero on his way out. He mentioned that you two were engaged, Miss Elphaba. I just came to give my best wishes. I hope this does not mean that you are deciding not to work for Our Dear Wizard?"

"No, not at all. My living in the west might make it easier, anyway," Elphaba smiled forcibly. "If you'll excuse me, Madame, I'd like to get to bed. I wouldn't want to miss any part of class tomorrow."

"Oh, of course, my dear. Have a good evening." The old woman shut the door.

Elphaba finally began changing into her nightgown. She gave Glinda a look when the blonde jumped onto her bed.

"What? You said you'd tell me how he proposed."

Elphaba sat down on her bed next to Glinda. "Well, as you know, he took me to a hotel, and we stayed in the king's suite. When I came out of my stupor, thank you," she glared at Glinda for a moment, "we had dinner on the balcony. He then ordered dessert and in my ice cream was this ring," Elphaba held out her hand for Glinda to study.

"It's beautiful." Glinda examined the golden ring with etched patterns of triangles and diamonds.

"I know," Elphaba blushed. "Anyway, he got down on his knees next to my chair and proposed. He almost thought I was going to say 'no', too."

"And what did he do when you said 'yes'?"

"He told me he loved me and took me back to bed." Elphaba grinned.

Glinda was scandalized. "Elphie! I thought that didn't matter to you."

"It doesn't," Elphaba said, "but it was sure as hell nice. The next day we went back to the castle to tell his family. His mother went crazy. She got me fitted for the gown and such, and told me stories about her wedding night… that I did not necessarily want to hear. I saw people building something outside one morning and that's when Fiyero told me about his foolish mansion, and we spent the rest of the time discussing the wedding. That's about it."

"That's so cute! Well, except the sex."

"Sex isn't cute." Elphaba agreed.

"Under the right circumstances it could be romantic," Glinda decided.

"Okay." Elphaba moved to get into bed. "It's been a big night. I'm going to sleep."

"Fine. Sleep tight, Elphie."

It was lucky she'd taken all of her important classes before second term, because she could barely concentrate. Her mind could not seem to focus on anything but the wedding, or Fiyero. Elphaba was constantly daydreaming during class and got by only because she'd known the information without having the lecture. She'd never thought something social could distract her from classes so much. The day when invitations arrived for their friends at Shiz was chaos, since only Glinda knew beforehand that Elphaba and Fiyero were engaged.

Fiyero arrived to walk Elphaba to class and Glinda was bouncing around the room holding an invitation. "These are so cute! Did your mother make them?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes, causing Fiyero to bite back a laugh. "Uh, yeah."

"Would you tell her that I think they're adorable, next time you write to her?"

"Why don't you tell her at the wedding, Glinda? You are coming, right?" Elphaba grabbed her books.

"Oh, yes. But I'm dreadfully forgetful."

"Tell me about it," Elphaba met Fiyero at the door and closed it behind them. "Last night, when we were half asleep, she asked me if my mother was coming to the wedding. I said something like 'Glinda, my mother's dead,' and she just asked, 'When did that happen? I'm so sorry! Was it unexpected? Have you told Nessa yet?' I practically died laughing."

"She must've been really tired," Fiyero said.

"Or just stupid." Elphaba replied. She took his hand and they headed over to the lecture hall.

"Elphaba! Fiyero!" Crope and Tibbett were running towards them.

Elphaba laughed at the two boys panting as they caught up to them. Tibbett said, "See, Crope? I told you it's not a joke. She's wearing a ring!"

Crope grinned. "So, you two are tying the knot, huh?"

Fiyero nodded proudly. "Yup. It took more than two years, but I caught her."

"Is that how you see it?" Elphaba said, hands on her hips.

"It might as well be, with you." He pulled her to him. "Are you two coming to the wedding?"

Tibbett exclaimed, "We wouldn't miss it! It ought to be quite interesting. Except, we had a quick question about apparel…"

"You are not showing up to my wedding in women's clothing!" Elphaba snapped.

"How'd you know what we were going to ask?" Crope said, frowning.

"How could I not? That's all you ever do. I refuse to allow you two to wear dresses to my wedding. It's not happening." Elphaba responded, nose in the air.

"Aw, come on, Elphie, it's all in good fun," Tibbett pleaded.

"I said 'no'."

"We'll do a strip tease," Crope offered.

"That only makes me more unhappy with it. Can't you have some class for once? It's a _wedding_."

"Fine," the two said in unison, pretending to cry.

"Oh, shut it." Elphaba snorted.

And then it was off to the wonderful task of paying no attention in class.


	32. The Gifts of a Lifetime

**AN: I'm putting up two... I don't know when I'll be back. House is in chaos...**

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Gifts of a Lifetime**

The moment the graduation ceremony ended, Elphaba, Fiyero and the few friends that they had invited headed over to the train station and began the three-day ride to the Vinkus. Glinda and Elphaba shared a compartment (for once) and Fiyero and Boq shared another. Crope and Tibbett, of course, shared one, as well. Boq, to everyone's amusement, was still in shock at the announcement of Elphaba and Fiyero's engagement and couldn't quite speak comprehensively. In high spirits, the ride passed quickly for everybody and they'd arrived at the castle in no time.

After each person had been assigned a guest room, Elphaba stood in hers and looked out the window, astonished at how the mansion looked since its beginnings. She was in the same room she'd been in every time she'd stayed at the castle, and it was starting to feel like her own. But it wasn't hers, and the room she'd spend her nights in was almost a mile away behind the castle, all five stories of the mansion glowing with light. "The night before my wedding," she murmured, sitting back on the bed, running her hands along the comforter. "Goodbye, little room."

Fiyero peered in at her from the hall as he headed to his room, the room that was his own, and would soon be empty and unlived-in for a long time coming. "Tomorrow I finally marry her," he mumbled aloud, beaming to himself. His father had come in earlier and given him "the talk", which he'd struggled not to laugh at. Elphaba was already his, in that way, and he didn't need to be concerned with it. On the other hand, she'd given him the oddest look when she'd snuck up on him reading _The Big Guidebook of Sexual Positions. New Edition Including Bonus Chapter: 101 Ways to Please Her._ In a way, he was glad he'd had that and the few other little books he hid from her sent over to the mansion earlier in the day. It probably wasn't the best idea to read them tonight.

Elyria walked into Elphaba's room. "Elphaba, honey, you should get to sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." She followed Elphaba's gaze out the window. "He can't wait for you to see the inside of that place. I don't think even the castle is quite so elegant."

Elphaba wondered to herself if he'd show her the entire place before bringing her into the bedroom. "I don't understand why he had it built."

"Privacy, probably. Here, I spoke to the midwife this morning. She gave me some of that potion I told you about." Elyria placed a small bottle on Elphaba's bedside table. "Drink it if you wish. If you don't, save it. After this next one comes," Elyria patted her stomach, "I think I'm going to use it."

"You're pregnant?" Elphaba asked, shocked.

"It's a miracle I've lasted as long as I have without being pregnant. Fertility runs in the females of my family. Children are wonderful, but I don't know how many more I can take." Elyria smiled wanly.

"I'm sure the new baby will be just as adorable as the others." Elphaba said. Shyly, she inquired, "Are you sure it's genetics and not, well, behavior?"

Elyria chuckled. "I'm pretty sure. But I won't burden you with details about that. You have your own love to think about." The woman hugged Elphaba. "I'll see you in the morning to help you get ready. Take care of my son."

"I will," Elphaba assured the woman as the door closed. She picked up the bottle on the bedside table, drank it in one gulp and then crawled into bed and attempted desperately to fall asleep.

Elphaba barely remembered saying "I do". She was outside, at the reception, in her white dress, walking arm in arm with Fiyero as various people (most of whom she didn't know) shook their hands and offered their congratulations. He eased her out onto the dance floor for their first dance and kissed her passionately when he dipped her at the end. Clinging to him, she laughed unabashedly and gazed at him sweetly. When, after they'd eaten and danced some more, Fiyero held out his hand to her to lead her down the long, winding stone path towards the mansion, she took it gladly.

Glinda stopped Elphaba. "Wait. I need to be with you to give you part of your wedding present." To Elphaba's horror, she got out her wand.

"Last time you chanted a spell, I was catatonic for three days." Elphaba teetered on her heels.

"Trust me on this one. I explain the details in the card."

Elphaba asked Fiyero if he could get Glinda's card for her, and he sighed and said he could not, everything was already in one of the rooms in the mansion. Gulping, she turned back to Glinda. "If anything happens to me, you're dead."

"Even if it's something wonderful?"

"You know what I meant. And how is putting a spell on _me_ doing Fiyero any good?"

"It'll do you both wonders. You've got to read the card, really."

Fiyero stopped one of the servants who was headed in front of them to prepare the bedroom and told him to have Glinda's card set on the bed so Elphaba could read it immediately. The servant nodded and jogged off towards the mansion.

Elphaba squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't believe I'm trusting you."

"Fiyero, you can't be touching her," Glinda waited until Elphaba was standing solo. She waved the wand above Elphaba's head and towards her feet, reciting some incantation in old Ozian.

Elphaba shuddered, feeling her skin tingle and then die down. She let Fiyero take her hand again, apprehensively. With her free hand, she shook Glinda's hand. "Come visit after the honeymoon, will you?"

Glinda nodded, tears in her eyes. "Oh, you two, get going." Boq stood handy with a handkerchief that Glinda hid her face in.

Elphaba turned to follow Fiyero. He didn't move. "What?"

"I'm carrying you."

"Fiyero, that's almost an entire mile."

"I don't care. This is our first night as husband and wife and I am carrying you to the threshold of that bedroom whether you like it or not." He said fixedly.

"I… well, okay…"

He lifted her bridal-style and stole a kiss once more as everyone behind them cheered while he walked with her towards their new home. They were both silent until they reached the already opened door. Fiyero kept his grip on her. "The bedroom is just upstairs."

"Is that all you can think of? I don't even get to tour my new home before you trap me in the bedroom?"

"I'm carrying you over the doorway. Whatever happens after that is up to you."

She smiled. "I love you."

As he stepped into the bedroom, he laid her down on the bed. "This, my love, is ours. All of it."

She sat up and reached for the card that had fallen to the side of the bed. "I think we'd better read this." Elphaba opened the envelope carefully and read the card aloud. "It says, 'Dear Elphie and Fiyero, I wish you the best in life. I resent you for stealing my best friend, Fiyero. Anyway, if you're reading this, I've probably already said the spell and you're dying to know what it was. I don't know how I managed to find it, but as I was poring over sorcery books in the Crage Hall library the spell popped out at me. I couldn't believe there was a spell for such a thing, for it's not the sort of thing you see everyday. But every other spell in the book worked, Elphie, so I figure this had to, too.

"'It was an anti-allergy spell, and all I had to do was insert the name of whatever it was the afflicted was allergic to, and it would work. Notice Boq never has the sniffles anymore? Well, Elphie, feel free to go out in the rain without fear. You should no longer be allergic to water. You're probably wondering why this is my wedding present to both you and Fiyero. Here's an idea: tomorrow morning, or more likely afternoon, when the two of you wake up, you're going to want to clean yourselves up. Take a nice, long shower together. I'm sure you'll both enjoy that. I want details! Love, Glinda'."

"Mmm," Fiyero said, "that shower sounds nice."

Elphaba smacked him. "Forget that! There's no way…"

"Fae, there's only one way to find out." He led her into the master bathroom and ran the tap the lightest he could. "Just touch it with the tip of your finger. If it hurts, you don't have to do anything more."

She swallowed hard. "I'm afraid."

"Just a drop. If it hurts, I'll stay up all night and kiss it."

She rolled her eyes. Elphaba slowly brought her hand towards the running water, until her pinkie was dripping with water. Curiously, she turned the tap on heavier and rinsed her hands. "Oh, sweet Oz. She really did it."

Fiyero grinned. "How about that shower?"

"I'm not quite sure I'm ready to stick my entire body under the water yet, darling. Besides, aren't you going to give me a tour of the place, first?" Elphaba couldn't describe the new feeling of being wet. It had already been detailed in millions of ways by people who experienced it every day. She couldn't put words to it; it was incredible.

Fiyero took her soaked hand in his and turned off the faucet. "Well, let's head downstairs. We should start at the beginning."

She allowed him to show her around. The first floor contained a kitchen, dining room, formal dining room, sitting room, study, living room and more. The second floor was dominated mostly by their expansive bedroom, the bed adorned with blankets and sheets of silk, the mattress softer than anything she'd rested her body on, the pillows lighter than air. Also on that floor were, of course, their bathroom, a lazy room and a few rooms Fiyero had found the strangest but most logical uses for.

When they reached the third floor, Elphaba gasped. Fiyero stood there proudly and watched her wander around the two-floor library. "Do you like it?"

"Fiyero, it's better than the Crage Hall library! How'd you manage to get so many books?"

"I have my ways." He shrugged.

"What's the last floor?"

"Guest bedrooms, bedrooms for future children, things of the like."

"I love it. This is like a dream. You built me a heaven." She was dazed.

"It's only heaven to me when you're living in it, too." He told her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped into his arms. "Carry me to bed, Yero my hero."


	33. A Lot of Passion

**Chapter Thirty-Three: A Lot of Passion**

Elphaba woke the next day with a groan. She wriggled around in the bed to find she was unimaginably sore. Half-asleep, still, she mumbled to Fiyero, "My god, what did you do to me last night?"

He grinned at her. "You don't remember?"

She paused and then sighed longingly. "Now I do. What time is it?" Her cheeks darkened when she found that her voice was scratchy and hoarse. Elphaba tried not to think of all of the times she'd cried out the previous night.

"Seven," he answered.

"How is it that no matter how late I'm up, I still manage to wake myself so damned early?"

"Elphaba, it's seven at night." He clarified, and then called for a servant. A second later, he added, "It would only make sense, since we didn't even get to sleep until nine this morning."

"Oh, yeah. Mmmm, I did so enjoy that shower. It must've been quite the long one, though. I just couldn't make myself get out of the water."

"I know. I was almost to the point where I was going to write to Glinda and demand that she undo that spell." Fiyero teased, stroking her hair.

"Don't whine. You liked it, too."

"Right up until the point when my skin got so shriveled it was about to fall off, sure." He chuckled. There was a short knock on the door and Fiyero tugged the blankets over them and then shouted, "You can come in."

A middle-aged Arjiki woman, who Elphaba assumed must be one of the servants, entered the room. "Yes, Prince Fiyero?"

"Tell me someone came in here to check on us when we didn't leave the room today, right? I don't care if it's our honeymoon, we haven't eaten and I would think that might concern someone."

"Bezien knocked and peeked in earlier, just to make sure you two were still alive." The woman informed him.

"All right. Just asking. Thanks, Perria. Would you be willing to whip something up for us and bring it in on a tray, if that's not too much trouble?" Fiyero requested, eying Elphaba's thin form beneath the silk.

"No trouble at all, Master Fiyero. Is there something specific?"

Fiyero looked at Elphaba. "Fae?"

"Anything. I'd eat just about everything right now. No meat." Elphaba grumbled.

"Double that. I'm starving." Fiyero nodded at the woman. "I appreciate it."

"Not a problem, Master Fiyero." The woman closed the door meekly.

Fiyero watched Elphaba snuggle up to him and wrap her legs around his own, hugging him warmly. He cradled her body against him happily. "We slept through our first day as husband and wife."

"I guess we did," Elphaba agreed. "But I'll bet we're not the first, nor the last."

"We're probably the first to take that long of a shower on our honeymoon. Hell, we're probably just the first to take that long of a shower altogether!"

"Stop making fun!" She pouted melodramatically. "I've never been in the water. It was nice."

"The part I thought was nice was when you were whimpering against the wall."

Elphaba climbed out of the blankets, tore a pillow from under Fiyero's head and smacked him with it. "It was our wedding night so we had sex. Stop glowing about it, damn it!"

"'So we had sex'? So we had lots of sex. And incredibly passionate, hot sex, thank you. Do you want me to tell you how many times you screamed last night, Fae?"

"You stupid male, you counted, didn't you?"

He only smirked.

Elphaba lunged for him, ready to fight.

The door opened and Perria walked in with some food on a tray. "Oh, sorry…"

Elphaba turned beet red and dove back under the blankets. "Just having, uh, a little… um…"

"Disagreement," Fiyero supplied, laughing.

Perria reached onto of the shelves near the bed and got a small, wooden bed-table, specifically for eating in bed. "Is that what they're calling it these days?" She handed it to Fiyero, and then reached for another one, which she handed nonchalantly to Elphaba.

"No, really," Elphaba protested, "We were having an argument."

Placing the tray on Fiyero's bedside table, Perria raised her eyebrows and headed towards the door. "I'll leave you to settle your differences, then. Call for me when you need me to pick up the trays."

When the door shut behind the woman, Elphaba giggled. "I think I like her."

"Didn't I tell you that you'd love this?" He kissed her.

She looked away. "Yeah."

But it was only so long before she began to stop loving their easy life. One morning, Fiyero found himself waking alone, being shaken awake by Perria. "Master Fiyero! You'd better come see this."

Fiyero grabbed for Elphaba and she wasn't there. His mind reeling, he asked, "Where's my wife?" Quickly, he pulled on a pair of pants and followed the woman.

Perria didn't answer, only led him into the first floor study. She gestured to Elphaba's desk. "I found this a few minutes ago, when I was looking to ask her what she'd like for breakfast. She wasn't in the bedroom with you when I peeked in, so I came down here. I didn't read it all."

On the desk, there was a newspaper, the previous day's paper, open to the back page. In bright red pen, someone had circled a small sidebar with the headline "Thirty Animals Killed in Accidental Fire, Ten Injured". "No," Fiyero shook his head. Beside the paper, he found a sheet of paper, a note labeled for him to read. He felt sick.

"Fiyero,  
Please don't panic when you read this. I don't know why I'm asking you not to when I know you will, no matter what I tell you. I can't sit back and enjoy this life, not while this is still happening. When I married you, I swore I'd always love you, and I will, darling, I promise. But I can't stay here. I don't know what to tell you. You can't even imagine how terrible I feel, taking off when we haven't even finished our honeymoon. Don't come after me. By the time you find this in the morning, I'll be hours ahead. I wish I could do this and have you, too, but I can't and we both have to accept this. Maybe one day… wait for me, love, if you can. I'll understand if you can't. Oh, Yero my hero, I love you so much. I'm so sorry…  
Love always,  
Fae."

Fiyero put the letter down, shaking. How could she do this to him? She'd promised to wait and to try. If she'd had doubts like this, why had she married him? What made her think she could just walk out on him, after he'd done so much for her, after the mansion, after everything? He was fuming. Quietly, he said to Perria, "Have my travel bags packed for what could be an undetermined amount of time. Tell Bezien to tell the carriage driver to get the carriage ready for a journey to the Emerald City, no stops, not even for more than an hour's rest or bathroom break. Do you understand me?"

Perria nodded, "Yes, Master Fiyero." She fled from the room.

Fiyero pocketed the note, clenching his fists. Hell if he wasn't going after her. She'd get herself killed. And even if she didn't… Fiyero closed his eyes and brought a hand to his forehead. He loved her too much to let her do this. "Oh, Fae," he whispered, "why?"

Within the hour, he was sitting in the carriage staring out the window. He'd told Perria to explain to his mother what was going on in the briefest way possible. Fiyero wouldn't do it himself. She might try to stop him, or at least delay him. That couldn't happen.

The Vinkus passed by, day turned into night. His driver insisted on stopping for half an hour to feed the horses. Fiyero shrugged indifferently and used a bathroom quickly. He made sure to ask if anyone had seen an incredibly inconspicuous green woman heading towards the city. There wasn't a trace of her.

The driver was still feeding the horses when he returned. Fiyero nodded at the driver to take his time. He didn't want the horses slowing the journey later if they became malnourished. After a moment, the driver joined him as the horses nibbled at their food. "Urgent?"

"Very," Fiyero said. This was the same driver who'd taken he and Elphaba back to Kiamo Ko the day after he proposed. He shuddered; he didn't want to think about that.

"I don't know much about what's going on, but I wonder why you didn't take your new wife. You two seemed pretty attached." The driver did not mean to intrude, only to help.

"Yeah, we did."

"Is there something wrong with the marriage already, sir? You can explain it to me. I'm an expert. I've been married to Riana for ten years."

Riana was their cook. Fiyero tried to smile. "The reason she's not with me is why we're on this trip, my friend. She, well, she disappeared."

"Oh. Walked out on you or…?"

"Elphaba has a lot of passion. Unfortunately, there's too much for her to focus it just on me."

"What do you mean, if I may ask?"

Fiyero sighed heavily. "She pretty much ran off to join the Resistance, from the tone of the note she left."

"During the honeymoon?"

"She said she couldn't sit still anymore."

"Look, Master Fiyero, maybe sometimes people love other people more than it can be returned. Perhaps she didn't feel for you as strongly as you do for her. It's a hard thing to accept…"

"No." Fiyero cut him off. "It's the way she is. She just has so much enthusiasm, and she's dedicated it to me, to the Animals, to politics. But she can't have them all at once, and so she's changed her mind and decided to try for another rather than just me. When she gets stubborn about something, there's no changing her mind, not until later, when she realizes that she made the wrong choice, when someone gets it into her head."

The carriage driver nodded silently. "I certainly think she loved you. I hope for both of your sakes that you can salvage your marriage and convince her to return with you."

"Thank you, my good man. Let's get moving again, if that's all right."

The driver stood and reined the horses again. Fiyero crawled back into the compartment, alone on the bench, wrapping a blanket about him as the night air of the summer grew cold. He yearned for Elphaba to hold on to. For a moment, he wondered if she didn't love him as he did her, and then he began to cry.


	34. Selfish

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Selfish**

He found her once, in the very beginning. It was his third day in the city, as well as hers, he learned, and she had not yet become as careful. Several questions had led him to her in a grungy hotel, a room which she was paying with using the little money she'd had as her own before they'd married. After bribing the bellhop to let him into her room while she was off doing Oz only knew what, he approached her when she returned late in the evening. At first, she had argued and fought, but eventually she'd broken down, apologized, begged him to forgive her and promised fervently that she would return with him to Kiamo Ko in a carriage the next day. Then she'd taken him to her bed, yawning afterwards and murmuring sleepily that she was exhausted. This had made him realize how tired he was himself, and he'd fallen asleep only to wake to an empty bed and a short, cold few words written on a paper, "_Go home_."

Fiyero realized she'd only slept with him that night just to get away from him. She hadn't made love with him because she missed him and loved him, only because she'd needed to escape him. That realization sent Fiyero spiraling into depression and he spent two days in his hotel room, neither moving nor eating. Eventually, he'd gathered the strength the begin searching again, and that was all he'd been doing since.

That had been four months ago. Their honeymoon as it was supposed to have been was long over, and he'd barely had a sign of her. His mother wrote daily and pleaded with him to return home, but he stayed in the city. He would not come home without her, he stated stubbornly, and that was how it was going to be. Fiyero swore he would not go back to Kiamo Ko until she was with him or until one of them died. Elyria hadn't written a letter in response to that; his father had, scolding him for making his mother cry. But that didn't faze him in the least.

What he didn't know what that his constant questioning around about her was causing her trouble. One evening as he wandered the streets without direction, he heard a high-pitched shriek. Knowing he likely wouldn't find Elphaba tonight, if ever, he ran towards the source of the sound, scampering into an alleyway and a scene he didn't expect.

Two large men he thought he might have recognized faintly were holding Elphaba flat on the ground, a rag stuffed in her mouth. She was kicking and scratching to no avail. One of the men whacked her hard across the face, leaving her lip bleeding and tears stinging her eyes. He then took the rag out of her mouth. "You're coming with us, missy."

"What do you want with me?" She demanded.

"You're that fierce little wife of Arjiki Crown Prince Fiyero, are you not? Imagine the ransom he'd pay for his precious wife back." The other growled.

"My husband hasn't seen me in more than four months, I doubt he'd pay much to see me again." She spat.

"Oh, he hasn't? He's still in the city."

"He is?" Fiyero heard the hope in Elphaba's voice and bit his lip.

"He's asking all over for you. If he's so desperate to find you, I'm sure he'd pay tons of money just to get you back, no matter the damage done."

"Damage done?" Elphaba repeated.

"Oh, we'll have a little fun with you before we give you over to him." The one with the rag reached to rip off Elphaba's dress.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She hissed, biting him.

The second man slugged her in the stomach and she hissed in pain, curling into a fetal position on the ground. Both men hovered over her eagerly. Elphaba looked away and began to cry.

Fiyero couldn't watch any longer and leapt around the corner of the alleyway, shoving the first man into a wall and banging his head unconscious before he even knew of another person's presence. He rounded on the second, who he didn't have the advantage of surprise over. Ducking what looked to be a knife headed for his throat, Fiyero kicked the legs out from beneath the criminal, stepped onto his stomach and grabbed the knife that had clattered a few feet away. "Get out of here, now!" He shouted.

The guilty man looked towards his friend and back at the exit of the alleyway.

"Go ahead, take him. I want you out of here. Just go!"

As he dragged his partner out of the alley, the thug seethed. "Fucking pretty boy."

"Yeah, I'm a pretty boy, that's why I kicked your ass," Fiyero called back. Watching the two men retreat, he turned his attention to Elphaba, who was huddled in a ball in the corner, her hands over her ears and face in her knees. He crouched down and moved to tilt her face up, but she lashed out, nails down his arm and a kick that almost landed between the legs but instead slammed him in the thigh, sending him stumbling backwards. His arm was bleeding.

She only then looked at who her attacker was, and relief and horror flooded her face at the same time, a perfect merge of irony in her features. "Fiy… what the hell are you doing?"

Regaining his balance, he shook out his arm and stood up, pulling her to her feet as she sat stunned, shaking her head. "Saving you from whatever sort of pain they were about to put you through, that's what!"

"I could've gotten away on my own." Elphaba said, turning away.

"Oh? And how would you have done that? Would you have slept with both of them just to get them out of the way, too?"

Elphaba blinked, facing him. "Fiyero, don't. You know you're the only man I've ever…"

"Save it, Elphaba." He snapped. "Maybe I believe that. I don't know what you've been doing over these past four months, though, and why should I even consider anything you tell me to be true?"

"Because I love you!" She replied desperately.

"And you are my wife and you are supposed to be with me!" He growled. "I cared for you and held you, Fae, and you run away. You married me, or did you forget that? I know, one day, you were sitting around in the study, forgot you were married and decided to just have a rendezvous in the city. I loved you, I still love you, for Oz's sake, as stupid as I may be for feeling such a way, and all you can do is take off!" Fiyero was fuming now, trembling from rage.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," she said coldly, "I knew you couldn't. To stay with you, to enjoy your company every night, to revel in your love every day, would be selfish. Do you not see that there are civilized beings out in this world who can't do such a thing because they're being terrorized?"

"So it's not wrong at all to just pick up and leave after everything we had? After I tried so hard just to create for you somewhere where you would be happy? After we swore to one another millions of times that we loved each other? After you _promised_ you would wait and see what would happen? After we'd gotten married, yet in the middle of our Oz forsaken _honeymoon_!"

Elphaba took a deep breath. "It isn't right. But it's a lot less selfish."

"Selfish, selfish, selfish. That's all I'm getting here. What are you telling me? Am I selfish?"

"Yes, you are. People are naturally selfish."

"Then give in to that, come back with me."

"No. I can't live like that. I would hate myself! I'd never let myself live with it." She cried, attempting to flee past him.

He was stronger and more adept then he'd ever let on to her, and he got in front of her, moving in her way each time she moved until she gave up, sighed and sat down on a box in the alley. "Elphaba," he began slowly, "you are the only thing in the world that means so much to me I would give up my life for you. I cannot live without you, knowing you're out there somewhere, knowing I could be with you. Please come home with me. In a little more than half a year, you'll be working for the Wizard…"

"Exactly who I'm working against!"

"But you could do that from _inside_. Don't you see? And wouldn't it, possibly, be more effective? Instead of joining some ridiculous radical group, you could let the Wizard live out his reign and change things from behind the scenes. Maybe do well enough that, when he's gone, you take over. Think about that."

"You think I haven't?" She challenged.

"I don't think you have, no. Because you're too set in one way to consider anything else sometimes." Fiyero folded his arms across his chest.

"I want to know the way things work around here, what goes on…"

"By joining some drastic action group that does… I don't even know what…"

She stared at the ground. "And you shouldn't. I can't tell you, anyway. I'm not a big part of that right now, as I'm not very experienced."

"You've actually begun to… take action?"

"Fiyero, don't you see? It's too late to go back, now."

"No, it's not. Once the Wizard discovers you're going against him, then it's too late. That could be tomorrow, for all we know. If you come back with me now, then agree to 'advise' or help rule or whatever it is he wants you to do after that year out in the world he wanted you to take, you can really do something, Elphaba. Or, or… even… the Vinkus is practically a free state. As you heard your father say, the Arjikis are in the most control right now. We could… I don't know what the word is… separate ourselves from Oz, become our own country." He had no idea what he was saying, but he knew he had to try.

"But that wouldn't save the Animals here!" Elphaba protested.

"If they needed saving, they could escape out to the Vinkus, and the Wizard couldn't do a thing, if we arranged the terms of separation the right way. It would do them good! It would give them a refuge. A place to start again and maybe begin living like they used to."

"But you're not the king, Fiyero, your father is. Would he do this? And who's to say the Gale Force won't just come marching into the Vinkus and take over?"

"Southeast of us is Quadling Country. If persuaded, they'll remove themselves from Oz and join with us. And then there's…"

"Munchkinland. No one knows anything out there. You couldn't persuade them one way or the other."

"But Nessa, as Eminent Thropp…"

"Wouldn't follow you." Elphaba finished. "Or your father. Or the Quadlings. None of which have an organized religion, or are unionists."

"Still, with the Vinkus and Quadling Country, that's a pretty big portion of land for the Gale Force to cover."

His persuasive tactics were good, even if the oaf didn't fully understand the concept of his ideas. They were good ideas, great even, despite the fact that he didn't know the words to express them with quite right. She looked at him, contemplating. "What you're saying is: I could work for the Wizard, try to change things from inside, and if all else fails, we and Quadling Country secede from Oz?"

"I knew there was a word for it!"

She smiled; she couldn't help it. His lack of vocabulary yet strength in understanding of that sort of thing was endearing. It made her almost want to jump into his arms again, to hug him and kiss him with as much fervor as she had on their wedding night. But her face fell, increment by increment. "I'd have to stay at least another month. I can't just disappear, exactly. They wouldn't like that. But if I kind of drifted… maybe."

"Where are you staying?"

"No, Fiyero. You stay in that uppity hotel. I stay where I'm staying." She saw his expression change and she hurried, "I'm not saying you can't visit me or spend a night or two."

"I shouldn't have to 'visit' my own wife or 'spend a night or two' at her place!"

"If you even want me to come back with you, you'd better accept it, damn it!"

He saw that he had no choice. "Fine. Tell me where you are staying, if I can come by tonight. Promise you won't disappear on me."

She promised. And she kept it.


	35. Heat

**AN: This chapter is a bit... odd... dirty... weird... and needs some explaining. I don't quite know how to explain it, and neither does Elphaba (though she tries). Being in the city for almost six months, being without Fiyero for four of them, watching other people do things (because she has to spy, no matter what she sees that she might not want to) makes Elphaba a bit more vocal during sex... lol... um... it kind of goes away, but this chapter she's doing it because she's changed a bit and because... well, she feels bad and wants to distract him, I guess.**

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Heat**

The directions she gave him led him to an old, poor part of town, specifically to some abandoned warehouse. She was waiting for him in a side door that led up some stairs above what she told him then was a corn exchange, and the setting was meager and bare. He offered to pay for her to have more food, more clothing, something, but she refused staunchly and said it would seem odd to her, and odd to her coworkers. There was a cat – she'd named him Malky – that he asked if she'd be bringing back with her. His question seemed to shock her, as she hadn't really thought about it. Elphaba decided that, if it was okay with him, she would like to keep the cat. Fiyero told her it was fine; whatever would make her happy.

It was already dark, though it wasn't seemingly late in the evening. But winter was nearing and the days were shorter. Nights were colder. When she undressed in the darkness, she shuddered violently in the frigid air and he, still dressed, moved to her and hugged her warmly. She rested against him for a moment, taking in his warmth, and then turned and undressed him. They both shivered beneath the small blanket and made love with as much energy as possible for the sake of keeping warm, making it so physical that she collapsed in his arms when it was over, body limp and worn from the heat of their sex. He noticed she did not refuse when he offered to bring an extra blanket or two.

They wrapped their bodies around one another to go to sleep, making as much from the warmth of each other as they could. She was soon asleep in his arms, for several hours, until she woke him again and they repeated the entire night's bedroom adventure until she could take no more and pleaded with him to stop after this last time, and then maybe after the next last time, and maybe just one more…

When he woke up in the morning, he was half shocked to find that she was still there, lying peacefully in his arms, dried sweat and semen coating her skin. He nudged her and asked if she had running water. She read his mind and said that, yes, she did, but it didn't stay hot for very long and, if he must shower, could he please do so at the hotel? Fiyero told her that yes, he would. Elphaba stretched catlike under the covers and kicked him out. "I have some things to do. Come back late this evening."

He nodded and returned with scarves and blankets that evening. She let him tie her hands to the bedpost with the scarves the first time, writhing in agony when she couldn't move her hands to clutch at him, to let them fall weightless during climax, to touch his hands as they touched her. Then he tied one around her waist instead, and she teased him that he was getting way too much of her, and it was a good thing he wouldn't be coming every night or she'd never get up. Fiyero protested. Why could he not come back each evening and make love to her? Why could he not come back each evening, if it was just to hold her, to be with her?

"I have some things to do," she said again, "and so you cannot. In fact, tonight you can't. Two days from now. Leave me until then."

He thought she'd be gone when he came back after those two days, but she was there, still, ready for him. Her behavior became much more sexual the longer he'd been away, he would find, and she'd even venture to talk about it in ways she hadn't before.

Once, when she'd climbed over him, deciding to take charge of their lovemaking for once, she'd pulled her hips down on him and then murmured, "I could pull myself closer to you, love, but you're so deep inside me right now I'm afraid you'll break me if you get any deeper." She hissed as she adjusted to the penetration, but whispered erotic, encouraging words in his ear as she'd rocked against him slowly. "Mmm, that feels so good, so good… I love how you feel inside of me, so big, so thick, so hard. Sometimes I just think of your body, Fiyero, and I get wet, soaked." Her thighs tightened and she moved faster. "Oh, yes, Fiyero, Oz, yes! Please, Yero, touch me, please," she moaned as he slipped a hand to stimulate her further, "those hands…" Elphaba threw her head back as orgasm took over, "Yes! Fiyero, oh, oh, oh, yes!"

This new attitude of hers alarmed him slightly, and he wondered if she'd gotten it on her own, or if maybe, Oz forbid, she'd had some other lover. From the way it felt making love with her, he doubted she had, but he could never tell.

One evening as the month she'd begged him for was ending, she'd seen this doubt in his eyes and torn away from him, hurt and offended. "How could you think I'd ever do such a thing? No one but you, Yero my hero, no one but you." And with that she preceded to sway him to allow her another month or so, grinding her hips up against his until he gave in to sweet temptation and agreed so he could have her. And oh, how she let him have her.

When that month was over, she didn't ask for another. She told him calmly that her business was complete, and that suspicions would be low if she left then. He smiled, overjoyed. "You can't imagine how relieved everyone will be to have us back, Fae."

Her face turned to dread. "Oh, dear, how am I going to explain myself?"

"You have a three day carriage ride to figure that much out."

"Three days with hotel stays for the nights in between?" She asked seductively.

"Mmm, yes. Long hotel stays. We rest starting from dinner on, and we have a late breakfast and then return to the road." He answered, kissing her.

"Sounds wonderful. We can, uh, finish up what we didn't carry out fully during our honeymoon," she suggested playfully.

He knew everything wasn't worked out. Fiyero was aware he deserved an apology from her, if not more. She had gotten much of his forgiveness through sex, and she needed to know it wasn't going to fix everything. Apprehensively, during the first day in the carriage, as she leaned sleepily on his shoulder, he said, "I love you, Fae, but I want you to realize that I'm not totally contented with what you've done."

She nodded, as if she'd waited for this conversation to come. "I know. And I'm sorry, Fiyero, but it just felt like I had no other choice. I need to see things be fair, or I have to do something."

"At the cost of losing me?"

"I didn't want to. I never wanted to. I…" Her words faltered. "I never will."

He heard the uncertainty in her voice. Fiyero wrapped her in him arms desperately. "I love you."

"I love you, too, I always have. I always will. It's just…"

"No, please don't." He begged.

"Fiyero, the more you try to repress that, the worse it's going to get. I'm just saying I hope this works. I hope so for you and for me."

"You have to promise to be patient."

She nodded and let him hold her, cradling her like a baby. Elphaba nuzzled against his arm lovingly. "I promise, love."

"You have no idea what I was thinking when I saw you'd run off."

"I also have no idea what I was thinking when I did run off," she joked. "Okay, I do. But I know there were a lot of things I _wasn't_ thinking. Fiyero, I didn't mean to push you away so cruelly some of those times. I just knew if I stayed close to you, I would give in and let myself only love you, not do what I swore was right. Darling, you are more to me than what I pretend you are. I'm so sorry."

"I… I know you are." He thought about saying "I forgive you", but he wasn't sure he had. Fiyero looked at the sad eyes of his wife and said, "Will you be happy, with me?"

"Of course."

"But as happy as you'd be working in the city?"

She lowered her eyes. "Much happier. It's not that I'm not happy with you, Fiyero," she assured him, "not at all. It's this sense of right and wrong I've got. If it's 'off', I've got to do something about it."

"You will," he told her, "but give it time."

"It just seemed so terrible, being so happy when all of those things are going on in other parts of Oz."

"People do it every day."

"People are ignorant."

_I wish you were_. He thought to himself. But no, he realized, he didn't. She'd be nothing like who she was if she was ignorant, and he loved her for who she was. There was no easy solution to that, he figured. Fiyero felt thin fingers trailing along his chest and he looked again at Elphaba, who was smiling sweetly. "What?"

Her hands now made a distinctive path downwards. "Nothing," she grinned. She slipped her hands into the waist of his pants and yanked them down.

"Fae, don…" Fiyero closed his eyes as she closed her hands around him. He opened one slightly when he felt her slide away from him, hands still on him. She was sinking to the floor.

"Better angle from here," she murmured. She brought her mouth down and kissed him, lightly teasing with her tongue just for a moment. Then her hands took control again. "Oh, darling, you're so large," she whispered, "I would almost think it was swollen, if I wasn't used to you being so huge. I think I'd better help you ease that throbbing, though, shouldn't I?" Elphaba slipped off an undergarment and hiked up her skirt as she sat back in the seat. "Come here, love."

Fiyero helplessly obeyed, turning to her, crouching over her and sliding himself inside of her, driving into her eagerly. He tangled his fingers in her hair and pumped into her. "Oh, Fae…" He was encouraged into more frantic movements as Elphaba whimpered into his ears.

"Oh, you're amazing; you _feel_ amazing inside of me. You make me want to just… ooh, darling! The pleasures you bring me, mmm, so good. I love your… I love… so enormous, moving inside of me, so deep inside of me, touching me everywhere. Reaching everything. Yes, like that. Please don't stop. I want to feel you, all of you, hard and pulsing and just coming inside of me again and again. Take me until there's nothing left. Don't hold back, move as rough as you want, anything that keeps you inside me like this, like this… oh, Yero!" She screamed, he groaned and it was over. Elphaba dusted off her skirt and pulled her underwear back up. Heatedly, she commented, "So good, as always."

"Why do you talk like that?" He asked suddenly.

"Hmmm?"

"You never used to talk about sex."

"I did. I've told you before it was good."

"I meant when you talk about my body…" He answered.

"Shouldn't I praise something that gives me so much pleasure? Besides, I know I'm right. You're not exactly, well, small."

"What do you have to compare it to?" Fiyero demanded.

Elphaba was immediately timid again. "Several of my assignments have required…"

"Sleeping with people?"

"No!" She scooted away from him crossly. "Several of my assignments have required following suspected traitors, no matter where. Many of them have had lovers. There've been times when I've had to watch someone 'closely' for days."

"But why do you talk that way? You were never comfortable talking that way. I remember." He pressed.

She sighed heavily. "I only knew what felt good to me. And that wasn't enough for me to say something about you when it was all I knew. It _is_ all, but not all I've seen."

"But it's so sudden. And you're more… sensual. All you ever try to do with me is arouse me." He argued.

"I… Fiyero…"

"Is that all you love me for?"

"No, Yero my hero." Quietly she said, "Honestly, I just… I'm trying to solve this and make it easy. I figured if I tempted you a little, it would distract you from everything and you wouldn't keep making me so uneasy."

"How am I making you uneasy? I don't mean to."

"All of these promises and these assurances."

"What? You don't mean any of them?"

"I do. Oh, Yero, I do," she moved to touch his face. "Please believe me. I mean them now. But you and I both know how I get when I'm angry; there's no stopping me. I wish I could tell you that I can stop that from happening, but you know me."

He put his hand over hers. "Can you swear to me that you'll come talk to me, first? That even when you're in a rage and fuming, you'll at least inform me, so I can attempt to calm you down?"

"That I can do."

The carriage stopped and the driver opened the door. "We're at the third-way point. I've taken your bags out and I'm going to go around and get the horses settled."

Fiyero grabbed their overnight bags and walked inside with them, Elphaba following softly. They ate a quick dinner in silence and headed upstairs. He undressed and jumped into bed right away. Elphaba said she thought she'd shower first.

When she got out, she entered the room to find Fiyero sound asleep. She leaned over, kissed his forehead and climbed in beside him. Elphaba snuggled next to him and was grateful when his arms found her and tugged her close.

Sleepily, Fiyero opened his eyes and stroked her cheek. "Never leave me again."

"Never." She replied, drifting off. "Not ever."


	36. Strong?

**AN: Right. I warned you all about that chapter, I did! No yelling. Anyway, there's more of a reason for it than you think, but that doesn't get mentioned for several chapters. I love how everyone's expecting her to just up and leave him again. I'm not so sure. She does have a meeting with the Wizard in a few months, doesn't she? **

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Strong?**

It was late at night when they reached home the last day, and Elphaba was sleeping before they even got inside. Asking a servant to bring their bags inside, Fiyero carried Elphaba to bed and undressed her himself, tucking her in afterwards. She mumbled nonsense words in her sleep and he laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her. Thank Oz she had come home.

Perria knocked on the door a moment later. "Master Fiyero, your mother and father, Their Highnesses, are here to see you."

Fiyero eyed Elphaba for a second. "Should I wake my wife?"

"They said they only wanted to see you, Master Fiyero."

He tucked a piece of hair behind Elphaba's ear and then got up, closing the lights. His mother and father were waiting in the living room. Fiyero smiled broadly at them when he entered. They did not smile back.

"Son," his father said, "I think you, your mother and I need to talk about your marriage."

Fiyero blinked. "Why?"

"If your wife is willing to run off like that and hurt you so, I ask you to reconsider if she's the woman for you."

"Are you kidding me? I love her more than anything in the world."

"That's just the problem. You can't live like that. She can't go leaving you and coming back this way. It's bad for you; it's not right for a to-be king to have a wife like that." Elyria said quietly. "You know I adore Elphaba, but this behavior has me questioning whether or not she should have been your chosen bride."

"I can't help who I love," he protested.

"But you can help who you marry." His father pointed out.

"No. Don't even suggest it, Dad. I could not live like that. You want me to just forget about her, marry someone else? How do you propose I go about forgetting her?" Fiyero growled.

"All I was saying is that maybe you need to take some time to think over whether or not you two can live a happy life together in this situation."

"I think I can make that decision for myself, thank you." Fiyero rose. "I appreciate your concern, but it isn't needed. Have a good night." He shook both of their hands and headed back upstairs into the bedroom.

"Yero?" Elphaba's voice, heavy with sleep, echoed across the room.

He closed the door behind him and began getting ready for bed. "Right here. What is it?"

"Where were you?"

"Downstairs for a moment."

"Doing what?"

"Grabbing a quick snack, that's all," he lied. Fiyero slipped into bed. "Why are you so curious?"

"Nothing. Just… you normally get to sleep next to me right away. If either of us gets undressed and in bed second, it's normally me, not you."

"Were you panicking?" He teased.

"No. I barely noticed until you came back up here."

Fiyero smiled to himself, hearing the lie in her voice. "Well, whatever you say, I'm here now." He turned over and faced her. "Go back to sleep."

She nodded half-heartedly and let her eyelids droop slowly. Elphaba didn't even feel it much when he took her in his arms. "Love you…"

"I love you, too, Fae," he said gently.

In the morning, they showered together and then headed downstairs to eat breakfast. Elphaba could feel some of the servants looking at her in odd ways, and she shifted uncomfortably. When Perria left the room with their dishes after they'd eaten, Elphaba said, "They think I'm crazy."

Fiyero was reading the paper lazily. "Who?"

"Everyone around here. They know I ran off and they scorn me and misunderstand me because of it."

"That's probably true." He didn't bother denying it. "They'll never understand you. I don't. My parents don't."

"What about your parents?"

"Nothing," he said quickly.

"That's why you were downstairs last night."

"You caught me."

Elphaba pressed, "What'd they say?"

"Well, they don't think a prince's wife should behave like that. And they don't like the fact that you disappeared that way and hurt me."

"I never meant to hurt you!"

"I know," he said calmly, "but that doesn't matter to them. The way you acted was too rash and it's not good for the type of position you're going to be asked to hold. I'm not saying that they're completely right. But you have to start conducting yourself a little more carefully, Fae, or we're in deep trouble."

She rested her cheeks on her hands. "I won't do it again. I promised, didn't I?"

"They don't know that. I argued with them, don't worry about it."

"What'd you say?"

"I told them that I love you more than anything in the world and that I was grateful for their advice and worry, but everything was fine." He put a hand over hers on her cheek. "We'll be okay."

"Do you think I should go talk to your mother?"

"No. I think she'll come here at some point within the next few days, and then you two can talk."

"Oh, Fiyero, I'm so sorry. I've made such a mess! I never meant to do this… I love you. Only you. I shouldn't have left. I…" Elphaba burst into tears and buried her face in her arms on the table.

Fiyero jumped out of his seat, dropping the paper he'd been reading. "Fae! Sweet Oz, Fae, don't do that!"

But she was sobbing, her body shaking with each breath. "You did so much for me and then I left you. I don't deserve you!"

He knelt beside her chair. "Oh, Fae, hush. Please stop that."

"How do you still love me? Why? I'm just some ungrateful little wench, Fiyero! I went off and ditched you in the middle of our honeymoon after you did everything to make my life perfect." She shook her head.

"Shhh." He took one of her hands. "Elphaba, it's okay. Don't cry, Fae-Fae, for me?"

She shuddered madly as she struggled to breathe between sobs. "I haven't loved you like I should've."

He didn't know what to say to that. In a way, she was right, but he didn't hold that much against her. Biting his lip, he kissed her hand. "I don't know if that's true, but I know how you can make it up to me," he tried.

She cocked her head. "How?"

"Spend the day with me in the library. Let me read to you again, like I used to."

Elphaba brightened then. "Anything."

They headed up to the third floor and he and Elphaba took turns picking out books until they had a nice stack of ten piled near one of the couches. Fiyero jumped onto the couch and leaned back lazily and Elphaba crawled into his lap playfully. She curled herself cat-like into a ball and Fiyero opened the first book.

Midway through the day, Elyria visited the mansion to have a discussion with Elphaba. Perria answered the door, "The Crown Prince and his wife are in the library. Shall I fetch them for you?"

"No. Third floor, right? I'll just talk with them in there, if that's all right."

"It's fine. Last time I checked they were reading some Ozian fantasy. They shouldn't be disturbed too much." Perria pointed towards the stairs. "I could lead you up there, if you wish."

"That's okay. I'll go on up. Thank you." Elyria headed up the stairs, past the second story and up to the third. From the slightly open door that opened to the immense library, she heard whispers. She peeked in, hoping not to intrude.

Fiyero and Elphaba were lying on a couch, holding one another and having some sort of conversation. Elphaba's blouse had fallen off of one of her shoulders just from the position she was lying in and Fiyero's shirt was open. It was obvious they hadn't been making love, but had been touching intimately, at least, and that it may possibly lead to something more. Slowly, Elphaba traced the diamonds on Fiyero's chest, smiling up at him as he whispered something to her.

"Stay with me," Fiyero murmured.

"Always," Elphaba promised. She brushed away a short lock of hair that had tumbled in his face. "Always and forever."

He cupped her chin. "I never want to lose you."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Fiyero. I'm so sorry."

"Shh. I love you."

Elphaba nodded slightly. "I love you, too."

Fiyero kissed her forehead. "Fae-Fae."

She kissed him deeply. "Yero my hero."

The couple continued to kiss, whispering between breaths that got shorter and shorter. Soon they were immersed in tasting one another, clutching each other helplessly and devotedly. Fiyero tumbled Elphaba onto her back and began to unbutton her blouse from the top as he repeated, "I love you so much, Fae, I do," again until she put a finger to his mouth, which he pushed away as he moved his mouth elsewhere.

Elyria flushed and backed out of the hallway back towards the stairs. It looked to her as if they shouldn't – almost couldn't – be interrupted. The books Perria had said they'd been reading were strewn across the couch and floor. She sighed heavily. Talking to Elphaba would wait. The woman saw how the two loved one another, and she knew she didn't need to lecture the younger woman on conduct at the moment. When Perria looked at her questioningly when she made her way down the stairs, she said, "I just… I was thinking about something, something I really needed to say, and I haven't gotten it all worked out yet. So I'll come talk to them tomorrow, or maybe later tonight."

"Should I inform them you stopped by, your Highness?"

"No, don't bother. I'll return soon enough."

Perria nodded and closed the door behind the queen softly. When she headed upstairs a few minutes later, she carefully shut the door of the library, cautious not to let the two in on her presence. She hoped this was not what the queen had walked in on.

Elyria headed home, checked on her youngest child, a two-month-old baby girl, and talked quickly with the nurses before heading into the throne room. "Rogelio, darling?"

Her husband looked up from some economic papers he'd recently received from the Emerald City and beamed at the sight of his wife. "Elyria, honey." He stood up gallantly. "Are you all right?"

"Remember when, before we married and for a few years afterwards, we used to kind of cuddle and you'd sing to me?" She asked shyly.

"Some old Vinkun love song, I recall."

"It was beautiful, however you sang it."

"Well, yes, I remember. Why do you ask?"

"Would you… sing to me again?"

Rogelio looked down at his wife, remembering then that they were no more than thirty-nine, and left his papers for tomorrow. They didn't need much attention, anyway. But a strong, loving relationship needs daily care. He'd learned that, a fact of life his son and daughter-and-law were coming to discover, as well. "Of course, my love, of course."


	37. Too Much Information

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Too Much Information**

Elphaba found herself half-conscious on one of the library couches several hours later, Fiyero awake and reading to her again. She sighed and snuggled closer to him happily. How could she have ever thought she might want anything other than this? Fiyero meant so much to her, more than she was willing to concede to, even then. "Yero," she stopped him for a moment, "how many books have we gone through so far?"

"Five. Should we take a break?"

"We already took one," she teased, gesturing to their naked and exposed bodies. "But, yes, we should take a break." Elphaba stretched and reached for her skirt and blouse. "Fiyero, I know you think now that whenever we have sex, I'm trying to seduce you into thinking something or other, and I want you to know I'm not."

"I know. I trust you, Fae." He assured her. Fiyero only bothered to put pants on; he picked up the shirt, but just wadded it into a ball to be thrown in the laundry when they headed to their room. However, they weren't to head to their room right away. There was a knock at the library door. Yawning, he realized he couldn't remember closing it. Shrugging, he opened the door to Perria, "Yes?"

"Her Royal Highness is here. She'd like to speak with Mistress Elphaba."

Elphaba nodded from behind him. "All right. Would you tell her I'll meet her downstairs in the casual living room in a moment?"

Perria nodded. "Yes, right away."

Fiyero watched Elphaba dress, enjoying the site of her body. Each emerald curve was illuminated by her skin, so that even though she was thin and almost bony, her hips had a hint of roundness to them, her breasts looked full and tender, the ridge of her nose even seemed a bit less harsh than it might if she was any "normal" color. "Didn't I tell you she'd come to talk to you when the time came?"

"Yes, you did." Elphaba combed her fingers through her hair hastily and curtseyed mockingly. "Well, Master Fiyero, my darling husband, do I look presentable?"

Fiyero grinned. "There's a stain on your skirt."

Elphaba circled around herself in the room, examining her skirt. "Where?" After a moment, realizing he'd been joking, she stomped her feet. "Damn you!"

"You know you love me!" He called as she left the room.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up." She called back. Elphaba wandered down the stairs and into the casual living room, smiling sweetly as she greeted Fiyero's mother, who was sitting on a couch looking around the room. Sitting in a chair nearest her, Elphaba said, "It's good to see you."

"I hope so. It's been a while," Elyria said pointedly.

"It has, hasn't it?" Elphaba wouldn't take the bait.

"Look, Elphaba, this entire 'running off' thing isn't appropriate. You can't do that. You are the wife of the crown prince, and that sort of behavior just isn't right. That behavior just isn't appropriate. Think about it. What kind of king will my son make if he's constantly chasing after his wife who goes off and does Oz only knows what in the Emerald City?"

Elphaba almost replied that it wasn't her fault that Fiyero had come after her, but that sounded as if she still resented Fiyero for following her, and she didn't. What might've happened to her if he hadn't ended up catching the two thugs going after her in that alleyway? Even if she had gotten away, she didn't want to imagine what might've happened had she stayed in the city any longer. No, her place was here for the time being, and the time being was a very long time. She knew that. "I know."

"I wasn't here when my son received the news that you'd, well, left, but I know him, and he was probably devastated. When you married him, you accepted a responsibility. If you had doubts, you shouldn't have agreed to marry him."

Elphaba shook her head. "Have you ever said 'no' to those eyes?"

Elyria smiled gently. "Not when it's been something important to him."

"Exactly."

"But this is different! If you were going to break his heart anyway, you should never have given him the idea that you loved him so well. He was so happy, Elphaba, with the thought that you'd be his forever, never leaving him. Fiyero sent me letters when he was in the city, and they were cold. It hurt him very deeply that you left him, especially right in the middle of your honeymoon."

Elphaba sighed. "I won't do it again."

"Elphaba, I have no doubt that you are a wonderful young woman, but you already said you wouldn't by marrying him, and that didn't last. I don't know if I can trust you not to do that to him again."

"I love him."

"You left him."

At the moment, properly dressed (at least as properly dressed as he could be), Fiyero wandered in, hair straightened out a bit and face less flushed. He came up behind the lazy chair and shoved Elphaba to the edge, climbing over it so he sat behind her. Carefully, he tugged Elphaba into his lap and then into his arms. Fiyero had no idea that his mother had wanted to speak to Elphaba _privately_.

Elyria eyed her son warily. He always wore his shirt with a button open at the top, but it was currently revealing an irritated red mark at the point where his chest and his shoulder met, looking something like a bite mark. She knew what it was. They were twenty-two, couldn't they be more mature? Elphaba seemed to notice the same thing and shifted in Fiyero's arms so she was blocking the mark from Elyria's sight, unaware the woman had already seen it.

Fiyero began to pull at Elphaba's hair, meaning to run his fingers through it. She twitched and almost reached to stop him, but couldn't manage to voice an explanation as to why, at that particular moment, unlike any other, she wasn't going to allow that. He tugged her hair further from her face and higher on Elphaba's neck, Elyria spotted a much worse, larger harsh looking spot. Sweet Oz. How long had Fiyero had to work on _that_? Her eyes darted away, trying to keep both amusement and disdain out of her glances at the couple. But Elphaba looked up and saw that the woman had caught sight of the awful thing on her neck. Swatting at Fiyero, she hissed at him to play with her hair on the other side of her face. He suddenly seemed to realize why, and smirking to himself, he dropped her hair.

Elyria cleared her throat. "Elphaba, I…"

Elphaba looked at Elyria pitifully. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"That. For everything."

Fiyero hugged Elphaba closely, defensively. "My Fae-Fae."

Elphaba giggled. "Yero my hero."

He gazed into her eyes and then pointed at himself playfully. "Yours?"

Elphaba laughed. "Mine."

He nuzzled his face into the other side of her neck. "Mine?"

She lifted his face. "Yours. Always."

Elyria was speechless. There was no denying the glances the two were giving each other. Whatever misgivings she'd had, she threw them away and stood. "Well, I'd better be going. The little one will need feeding soon, I expect. Elphaba, I… I know you won't."

Elphaba turned to her and understood, nodding silently.

"Well, I'd better go take care of…"

"We'll come! If that's okay, I mean." Elphaba said quickly. "I've wanted so badly to see the baby."

"It's a bit late. Why don't you two just have dinner and stay the night in the castle? That way you won't have to walk home in the dark."

"Oh, Yero, can we?" Elphaba was bouncing in his lap now.

"Whatever you want." Fiyero kissed her forehead.

She hugged him fiercely. "I love you."

He only smiled.

While Elphaba was fussing over the baby, cooing at it energetically, Elyria watched out of the corner of her eye as Rogelio pulled Fiyero into the hallway. She figured the talk he was about to have with his son wasn't needed, but it wasn't completely pointless, either. Turning back to the crib, she looked down at her child. "She barely ever cries, only laughs."

"She's adorable," Elphaba said fondly.

"You start to stop thinking that within the first few hours."

"I could never."

"Wait and see."

"None of the children have your skin," Elphaba said suddenly.

"Nope."

"Do you think, when Fiyero and I have children, they'll inherit the green, the pale or just his skin color?"

"I don't know. I feel like they inherited what should've been my skin color from me, which is very similar to their father's, so I can't tell. With you, since your skin was supposed to have been whiter, we might be able to."

Fiyero sat down in the family room with his father. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to talk, see how things are going between you and your wife since you've returned."

"Wonderfully. She's sorry and she's happy to be home."

"Does she tell you often that she loves you?"

"Yes. But not too often, because if she said it too much, it'd be a bit weird. I'd start to be a bit suspicious."

"Do you make love often?"

"Whenever either of us feels like it, pretty much, unless there are 'female reasons'." Fiyero shrugged.

"I know that deal," Fiyero's father laughed. "She doesn't refuse you otherwise?"

"Not unless I try to initiate it at a completely inappropriate time."

Rogelio raised his eyebrows.

"Dad, you don't want to know." Fiyero grinned sheepishly.

"I was your age once."

"Not too long ago, really," Fiyero said thoughtfully. "Did you ever worry that mom would leave you?"

"Not at all. I think she might have worried I'd leave her. She was paranoid, very concerned. Drove me off the wall, but I loved her." Rogelio patted his son on the shoulder. "Does she actively participate when you two are intimate, or is she a bit distant?"

"She's very there." Fiyero answered. "Never distant. She's always responsive."

"That's good. It's a very important part of marriage, that a couple can share the joy of the physical as well as the emotional. Your mother and I…"

"Dad!" Fiyero covered his ears, horrified.

"Sorry."

"Too much information."

**AN: Ha ha, hickies are fun...**


	38. Make Each Other Happy

**AN: Excuse the random sex in this chapter... I got bored. Thought it would be funny. I don't know if it really is. I tried. Whatever. I just thought the last scene was kind of cute, and the scenes before that were just for humor's sake.**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Make Each Other Happy**

There were several showers in the castle, but the largest was in the master bath, which Fiyero's parents were kind enough to allow the younger couple to use. Between the master bath and master bedroom was also a wall, though it was made out of thinner material and a design that looked like the stone of the majority of the castle walls but was really just a Styrofoam-like barrier. Fiyero and Elphaba were unaware of this, of course.

They showered together, as they did often, and cleaned one another off. Elphaba struggled to ignore the engorging of Fiyero's private areas and just lathered soap as if she was touching any part of his body, but Fiyero was never so good at keeping his mind off of things. When he reached Elphaba's waist, he said to her, "Hmmm, I think inside those legs of yours I'm going to be very thorough."

"Why? Am I dirtier there?"

"No. But I like to touch." Fiyero smiled. He pressed his hands against the sweet sensitive folds of flesh and dipped a finger inside of her. She leaned against the wall and moaned softly. Her reaction encouraged him and he began to slip his finger back and forth until she was holding his shoulders for support as she squealed helplessly. "Mmm. Well, I'd say you're very clean now."

Elphaba looked at him and said breathlessly, "Much cleaner than you."

"As a matter of fact, you are. And that's unfair. I do think I might have to slip into you to keep myself so clean."

Elyria and Rogelio could hear the majority of the conversation on the other side of the wall, and could certainly hear Elphaba's screams and Fiyero's own pleasured noises. Rogelio looked at his wife with raised eyebrows. "Should we perhaps knock on the wall?"

"Think of how embarrassed the poor girl would be! Besides, they're married. It's good that they're making love, anyhow. We were concerned that they might be growing apart, remember?" Elyria paused for a moment as one final sound came through the wall. "That certainly doesn't sound like they're anywhere 'apart', does it?"

Rogelio rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Well, at least Fiyero's old bedroom isn't next to our room."

"It is awkward for them. It is really only a one-person room, and they insisted on sharing. They'll be sleeping pretty close in that single twin bed. But I doubt they'd make any more noise tonight, anyway. I'd assume that they're pretty much done for the night." The water stopped running and Elyria sighed, turning over. "Thank Oz. I wasn't sure I'd be able to look at her without laughing at the breakfast table if she made one more sound like the last!"

The next morning, Elphaba and Fiyero slept late. Elyria didn't have the heart to wake them early, and so she skipped over their room and went to wake one of her younger sons in the next room. "Honey?"

The little boy looked up groggily. "Mom, can I please sleep a little longer?"

"No! Get out here and head down to breakfast!"

At the breakfast table, the same young boy asked his father, "Do married couples make each other happy, Dad?"

"Of course. They love each other. Why?"

"Well, last night, Fiyero and his wife kept repeating 'yes, so good' and how much they loved each other over and over. They seemed really excited about it, too. The bed banged against the wall a little."

Rogelio and Elyria looked at one another in horror. Elyria stood up. "I think I'd better go wake them." She climbed the stairs and made the mistake of not pausing to listen at the door before knocking and opening without a response.

Elphaba's legs were on either of Fiyero's shoulders and his head was buried between them, along with one of his hands. Her head was against the pillow and her eyes were closed. She was whimpering. "Oh, darling, you…"

Elyria cringed and shut the door, leaning against the wall in the hallway and sliding down to her knees. "Oh, dear."

Rogelio appeared in the hallway that moment and knelt beside his wife. "What?" He reached to open the door.

Elyria grabbed him quickly. "That is _not_ a good idea. We'd rather not see what they're doing in there."

Rogelio looked at Elyria expectantly.

"I opened the door without thinking, okay? It wasn't like Fiyero could answer me; his mouth was… otherwise occupied." The woman shuddered.

He chuckled. "Well, I guess we know our son's tastes."

"That isn't funny!" Elyria swatted at him.

Elphaba and Fiyero came downstairs an hour later, holding hands and gazing at one another. Before leaving, they relaxed on a couch in the living room across from Fiyero's father and mother. Fiyero smiled at his parents. "How are you?"

"Disturbed." Elyria muttered.

Rogelio gave her a look. "We're fine," he reiterated.

Elphaba cocked her head. "What's wrong?"

Elyria took a deep breath. "Nothing, really."

Fiyero looked at his mother skeptically. "Mom?"

Rogelio sighed and decided it would be best if he took over the conversation. "I think we forgot to mention to you two that the wall between our bedroom and that bathroom is very thin…"

"Oh!" Elphaba put a hand over her mouth, face flushed.

"And, well, this morning, when your mother came upstairs to wake you after hearing from Lisido about the sounds he heard coming from your bedroom last night, she walked in on an… unpleasant sight, that's all."

"Oh, Oz!" Elphaba buried her face in Fiyero's chest, embarrassed beyond all reason. It was lucky for him, because he was almost grinning.

"I should've knocked," Elyria muttered.

"Sorry, Mom," Fiyero said seriously.

"No, no, it's fine. I forget how young you are sometimes, that's all."

Elphaba was still hiding.

Fiyero shook her gently. "You hear that? She's not going to kill us. You can stop freaking out now."

Elphaba shook her head, holding fast to him.

He rolled his eyes. "And she tells me I feel emotions too much!"

Elphaba pinched him.

"Fae," he said threateningly.

Muffled she said, "You can't do anything to me."

"I can, too!"

"You won't." She rephrased it.

She was right. Fiyero sat there and looked at the mass of hair, which was what he could see of her head. "Elphaba, you can't just disappear if you conceal yourself in my shirt, love. I can still see you."

"I know that!"

"Sure."

"I'm not irrational."

Fiyero chuckled.

Elphaba pinched him again.

"Ow! Damn it, Elphaba, stop that!"

She lifted her head, finally. "Sorry, love."

Elyria shook her head and laughed some. "Your behavior absolutely confuses me."

"Mine or his?" Elphaba asked.

"The two of you around one another."

"It's because he's a ridiculous oaf around me. And then I have to handle him." She huffed.

Fiyero ignored her comments. "We're going to head home, aren't we, Fae?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Do you want us to have one of the drivers take you over?" Rogelio asked.

Elphaba balked. "No way. We're not that lazy."

Fiyero pretended he hadn't been prepared to agree and stood up. Taking her hand, he dragged her outside and headed back towards the mansion. She still looked upset. "So they heard us, it's not as if…"

"They didn't just hear us! They must think that's all we do. I mean, they're your parents… and now they probably think we're constantly having sex and that the only activity we ever engage in is making love and…"

"Elphaba, calm down. I'm sure they don't even have that in their minds. I'll bet they just assume it's because we've been gone so long and just haven't really been with each other much." Fiyero chuckled. "Besides, Fae, they've seen us together; they know that's not the only thing in the world that matters to us."

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest and stopped, glaring at Fiyero. "What do you know?"

"Just keep walking."

"Really, tell me."

"Do I have to threaten to carry you?"

Her eyes widened. "Don't even try! You know better."

"Elphaba, I only let you think you're stronger because you wouldn't like it if I didn't."

"Fine. Prove it." Elphaba turned to run.

He caught her quickly. She struggled, kicking. Fiyero turned her around so she had her back to him. Elphaba clawed and fought. However, he won. After a few minutes, she stopped resisting and he held her easily. "I told you."

"I'm tired. We were up all night. So I'm a little weak."

"I was up all night, too. I'm tired, too. But I still won."

"Mmm. You did. But I'd like to sleep now. So you can carry me."

"You always get what you want, you know."

"And that is how, in my way, I am stronger."

"Not physically."

"Oh, of course not, that would be no fun."

"I'm glad you think so," Fiyero replied, walking quickly. "But you're right. I'll always give in. And so I give you what you ask for."

"That's why I married you," she joked.


	39. If You'd Have Just Shut Up

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: If You'd Have Just Shut Up**

"This is stupid," Elphaba opined, scrunching her hands into fists in an attempt to prevent them from tearing at the fringed scarf that was tied around her eyes.

"No, it is not. I barely gave you anything for Lurlinemas…"

"I told you not to, so it's fine!"

"But this is your birthday, it's different." Fiyero insisted.

"What? I'm twenty-three, married, my husband is next in line for the throne to pretty much rule the entirety of the Vinkus. Nothing's different except some silly number."

"When you turned twenty-two, we weren't married yet. It's all very different."

"We were engaged, though."

"It doesn't count. Would you please just let me lead you downstairs like a normal person?" Fiyero pleaded, exasperated.

"Only because you sound so desperate. But can't we just do what we did for your birthday?"

"You know I'd love to keep you in bed all day again, but I think once a year is enough for that. If I change my mind, we've still got next year or next Lurlinemas."

"Fine, fine. I'll go. You talk like it's the end of the world if I don't go, so I'll go, only to appease you."

He took Elphaba's hands and led her down the stairs into the area that connected their living room and dining room, which was pretty much a large open hallway. "That's not a good reason, but whatever gets you downstairs will do right now."

"What are you planning?" She asked suspiciously. "Did you buy yet another piece of furniture for us to 'try out' again?"

A squeal erupted from their left. Fiyero groaned.

"I know that sound!"

Fiyero grumbled and removed the makeshift blindfold. "Surprise?"

"Surprise!" Boq, Crope, Tibbett, Glinda, Nessa, Nanny, Shell and even Frex were around the dining room table. Fiyero's family was there, too.

Elphaba buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I said what I said in front of… oh, sweet Oz."

Fiyero caught her as she pretended to faint and laughed. "I tried to keep you from talking so much. If you'd only listened!"

"Now, this furniture thing," Crope began seriously, "when you two 'break in' a piece of furniture, is it only couches, lazy chairs and beds?"

"Or is it tables and countertops, too?" Tibbett added.

"If I ever hear either of you say a word about that comment again, I will castrate you!" She threatened. "Oh, wait," Elphaba thought the better of that, "you'd probably _like_ that. Well, whatever, you know what I mean."

Crope and Tibbett giggled madly.

Elphaba rolled her eyes at them and sat down next to Glinda. There was another empty seat (presumably Fiyero's) on her other side. She smiled brightly at her best friend. "I've missed you so much! How long has it been, now?"

"Almost a year." Glinda told her. "Have you received the letter from the Wizard, too?"

"Yes. Fiyero insists on coming with. We'll be going in a few days, actually."

Glinda nodded. "Excited?"

Elphaba turned away for a minute, blinking. "I guess so. I don't know."

Fiyero settled into the seat next to her, then. "Did Glinda tell you, yet?"

"What?"

"That we're all leaving from here. Nanny and Nessa, you and I, and Glinda. Each group has one carriage. I doubt the hotel situation should be a problem, as we're married now."

Elphaba smiled. "Well, maybe. But then again, Nessa… you know they believe that sex is only supposed to be used for reproduction, but on the nights when I might conceive, we…"

Fiyero cut her off by squeezing her hand. "Hush! It's a very, very new invention; she probably doesn't know they exist, so as far as she knows, we just do it every night without trying to prevent pregnancy. Therefore, it's fine."

"Glinda will be all alone," Elphaba looked back at her friend.

Glinda shrugged. "I'll be fine. It'll be better than last time, anyway. I'd rather be able to do as I wish than listen to Nessa ranting about you two and your behavior."

"See?" Fiyero nudged her. "It works out."

"Now, Elphie, tell me something…" Glinda asked as Fiyero got up and headed over to talk to his mother. "What the hell were you two just talking about?"

"Nothing. It's just a birth-control sort of thing. The midwife's husband runs an underground sort of convenience store, and apparently out here someone developed an interesting form of contraception. That's all I'm saying." Elphaba held her hands up.

"Oooh, I've never heard of anything being able to prevent pregnancy unless you just… well, don't. Come on, Elphie, tell!"

"Why does it matter to you? You're not having sex; it's nothing you need to know about." Elphaba folded her arms across her chest.

"Please?" Glinda pouted.

Elphaba simply shook her head. She pushed out her chair and went to speak with her family. Nanny had disappeared a moment ago and so Elphaba stole her seat for the time being. "Hello Nessa, Father, Shell."

Nessa nodded solemnly in acknowledgement of the greeting. "Hello, sister."

Shell, fifteen now, was looking distractedly across the table at one of Fiyero's younger sisters, who looked to be about his age. "Your husband and his family… why do they have such strange markings?"

"It's a tribal thing," Elphaba explained. She figured elaborating would bore her little brother. "Why?"

"Nothing. It's just… it looks very interesting against the dark skin."

"They've got dark skin because of the weather out here. In the summer it's very, very hot, you know, and over time it's caused them to end up with browner skin, without having to let the sun make it that way, first." Elphaba wasn't quite sure how to really tell her brother about this, but she didn't feel like a long, drawn-out story would do any good. "What does it matter to you?"

"None." Shell shook himself out of his half-stupor. "Who is the one with the silver half-moons on her skin?"

Elphaba glanced where her brother was staring. "Oh, Juni? She's fourteen, actually. Her poor mother. Doesn't want to part with her yet, but she knows the marriage is to be arranged soon, as it should've been before now."

"She has to get married?"

"No, no, silly. But her mother has to arrange whom she will marry once she turns about sixteen. The man will likely be twenty or so."

"Isn't that unfair?"

Elphaba laughed. "Why don't you discuss that with Fiyero? He'd definitely agree there. He swears that our future children will be sent to school _and_ be allowed to choose. I think that's a good idea. If his parents had been a bit stricter, we wouldn't be standing here right now. I don't know what Juni thinks about it."

"She doesn't complain?"

"She's a nice girl. She obeys her mother. I don't talk to her much, Shell. I don't live in the castle, you know."

"Oh, yeah."

"Why don't you talk to her? Juni!" Elphaba called the young girl's name. "Come here."

The girl listened and was next to Elphaba in the blink of an eye. "Yes?"

"This is my brother, Shell. He was curious about the 'marriage tradition' and how the teenagers might feel about it. Seeing as I can't give him that perspective very well, why don't you talk with him?"

Juni nodded and took the seat Elphaba offered her shyly. "What do you want to know?" She asked quietly.

Elphaba crept away from the table, smiling to herself. She wondered what Fiyero was up to.

He was reading a letter out loud to himself in the front hall. "'… If madam should find it necessary to bring a visitor to the actual meeting, the Wizard must be contacted at least twenty-four hours in advance… please dress and behave appropriately…' that might not go well," he mumbled.

"Are you worrying about the entire Wizard thing again?" She said from the hallway, leaning against the wall.

He dropped the letter. "Guilty as charged?"

She went to him. "Don't get so worked up. It'll be fine, I promise you. Nothing can make me leave you, love."

On the second night of the trip, Fiyero and Elphaba were stuck with the room between Nessa and Nanny's and Glinda's. They were lying in bed completely silent when Fiyero suddenly sat up. "Elphaba, I don't care what the hell they're going to hear, I'm not going to just lie next to you on a night we'd normally make love and pretend that you're not even next to me."

Elphaba took a deep breath, but did not sit up. "We can't. I will not keep my sister or Glinda awake. That would be unfair. You know how it might bother them, Fiyero."

"In the carriage, then?"

"No! Fiyero, for Oz's sake, we don't _need_ to have sex!"

"But we want to."

"You want to."

"You do, too."

"What makes you say that?"

He turned the light on and tore the covers away from them. "Look at me."

She gazed at his face. "What?"

"I mean look at all of me."

Elphaba would not lower her eyes.

"See? You won't because you know the minute you do, you're not going to be able to hide that you want to make love with me, too. Fae, please?"

Elphaba groaned, aggravated. "Please don't make me do this."

"I'd never make you do anything." He shifted so it was unavoidable that his chest was in her view.

She closed her eyes. "Not with force… Damn it, you're not fair!" Elphaba snapped her eyes open, sat up and kissed him deeply. "I'll never forgive you for this."

He rolled his eyes. "I think you'll be begging _me_ for mercy in a few minutes."

And so Elphaba stood hiding behind Fiyero as they checked out of the hotel, pretending not to see Glinda's taunting eyes or Nessa's scornful ones as they exited the building.

Nanny strode by her as she pushed Nessa towards the carriage. Under her breath, she mocked, "'Oh, Fiyero, I love you so much, please Fiyero, I love you, I love you!' We get it, you love him, shut up about it." She cackled as she walked away.

Elphaba stared after her.

Fiyero shoved her carefully towards the carriage, "Come on." As she stepped in and he got in after her, he kissed her forehead. "I love you." He looked at her, expecting a response.

She glared at him. "You get it, I love you, now shut up." Elphaba grunted.


	40. The Truth

**AN: I just realized, I never explain that this takes place (well, the part that I don't explain) in the carriage...**

**Chapter Forty: The Truth**

She was asleep. Fiyero twiddled his thumbs, dreadfully bored. "Fae?" He asked softly, not touching her.

Elphaba didn't respond.

He reached to touch her cheek and suddenly she shrieked. Fiyero pulled back and looked at her, wondering if she was okay. Oddly enough, she was still sleeping. Her fists were clenched, though, and she was groaning. "Elphaba?"

"No, please don't… I asked you not to touch me…" It seemed like she was struggling, yet some imaginary force was holding her back. "No… I'm married, I told you… I said I didn't want…" She choked on a sob.

Fiyero realized what sort of nightmare was plaguing her and shook her harshly.

"No, please!" She screamed, then her eyes opened. Elphaba seemed to realize where she was and the tension disappeared from her form as she smiled forcibly up at him. "Was I sleeping?"

He'd heard her do this once before, on one of the nights they'd been together in the city. She'd never known he'd heard her. Fiyero looked out the window. "Elphaba, you were having a bad dream."

"Okay…" She looked at him curiously. "You're sure behaving strange just because I was having a bad dream."

He turned towards her again and swept her hair out of her face. Taking her hands, he pleaded, "What really happened in the city?"

She blinked. "What do you mean? Fiyero, I have no idea…"

"You have a very good idea. Now tell me."

Her eyes watered and she buried her face in her hands. After several deep breaths, she began to explain what had occurred after she'd left him in that grungy hotel room with the note three days after her arrival in the city.

A week or two after leaving him, she'd finally managed to trace "the Resistance" and went to a meeting called by some mysterious leader. One of the veteran members had taken a quick interest in her, and she hadn't seen his real intentions. She'd just been grateful for a friend, at that point. Little did she know what he'd slipped into her drink, or what had happened to her when she woke up in her place the next morning. It hadonly hit her later.

Again, something had been put in the juice she was given, though the effects were not quite the same. She never blacked out, only she began to lose control over her limbs. Elphaba had started to realize that she couldn't move as the next "meeting" ended, and her _friend_ had helped her back to the corn exchange. By that point, she couldn't move quick enough and he had forced her right against the stairs the minute the door had closed behind them. The only strength she'd had was to beg for him to stop, which he didn't. She had barely felt anything.

But she had returned to the meetings, aware that this man who had posed as her friend was only one person, and as long as she was careful, such a thing wouldn't happen again. Returning home that evening, though, someone had been waiting behind the door. Even without being under the influence of anything, she'd still lost the battle and he'd hit her until she could barely stand to move to fight him anymore. She'd felt the pain, only never felt it when he took her. He had continued to hit her even as he had her, and she had felt that, but she had hardly felt anything where he was really touching her.

She had gotten to be more cautious, and after two or three months, a week before running into Fiyero again, she'd gotten the feeling that he wouldn't rape her or come near her again. He'd seemed to pretty much have disappeared. After having checked behind the door, she'd slowly made her way up the stairs above the corn exchange. No one had gotten in the door after her. She'd shut it too quickly. And she was certain that no one was already in the stairwell; she'd searched. But he had been.

This time, he'd been equipped with a knife, threatening that if she even so much as attempted to fight back, he'd slit her throat. She'd closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn't feel it, the way she hadn't before. He'd treated her differently, searching crudely with his hands, shoving things in places where they didn't belong. Elphaba had certainly felt that much. But again, the only thing she'd felt of the actual act was when it was over and there was fluid on her. He'd left. She'd run to the sink and vomited, shaking heavily.

Elphaba had begun looking for somewhere else to stay. Not soon after, Fiyero had caught her. Happy to have someone to keep her safe, she'd allowed him to sleep most nights above the corn exchange with her. She'd never seen her assaulter again.

As she finished her story (in not quite the same words), she broke into sobs and started rocking back and forth on the bench. "You see? I told you, nothing happened. I didn't feel it. It wasn't real. It wasn't… I didn't want…" The rest of her words were completely incomprehensible.

Fiyero was too startled and shocked to react quickly. Instinctively, he took Elphaba into his arms. She'd never looked so small and weak before, not the way she did now. "Why didn't you tell me?" He whispered.

"Because it never bothered me. It was okay making love to you, so it didn't matter. I still felt the same when you and I were intimate; it didn't ruin the pleasure or the joy or the love I feel when we do it. It made no difference."

"But Elphaba, it does make a difference! Your attitude was different."

"That wasn't because of him…"

"Really?"

"Really. Well, I don't think it was. Why should it have been?"

"It made you feel different. If you didn't feel it when he had you, how did you still feel it when I did?"

"I guess you have a very different body, I don't know!" She was shuddering.

"That's why you talked about my body like that, isn't it?"

"I don't know!" Elphaba cried again.

Fiyero inhaled slowly. "Okay, okay. I know. That is why, even if you don't understand it. It has to be. And it does affect us, Fae. You can't just forget that someone raped you, you know."

"But I'm fine. Nothing else changed. Why should it matter?"

"You're crying right now. Something still hurts you. Please, don't do this. Pretending it never happened isn't going to do you, or us, any good. Talk to me about it. Tell me something. I need you to, and you need to." He ran a hand along her chin comfortingly.

"I don't know. I hate that I couldn't defend myself, Yero, I hate it! I should've been able to make him stop. Now I feel so tainted and I couldn't prevent it."

"It's not your fault."

"Excuse me?"

Fiyero bit his lip and looked at her. "You didn't expect that to happen. I was under the impression you thought you were safe on your own. It was a little foolish, but in no way your fault." He assured her.

"I remember when he started talking to me. He seemed to know my main grievance with the Wizard was the situation with the Animals and soon we were drinking to Animal Rights or something. When I woke up the next morning and had no idea what happened after that, shouldn't I have been a little more careful?"

"Maybe. I don't know the exact situation, Fae, I can't tell you what was right or wrong. But I know you didn't walk into that situation intentionally." He paused, feeling angry, defensive, and asked, "What did he look like?"

"He was about my height and Gillikinese. He had dirty blonde hair, broad shoulders… he had some muscle, obviously, if I couldn't fight back well enough… I wasn't really trying to _look_ at him, Fiyero. Why?"

"Nothing. Just… if you happen to see him on the streets in the city or something, you'll point him out to me, won't you?"

"Fiyero!" Elphaba covered her mouth with a hand. "You will not!"

"Don't I have the right?"

"No, I do!"

They both laughed, if only for a short moment. Fiyero's face softened again and he hugged Elphaba. "I wish you'd told me earlier."

"What difference would it have made?"

"I would've been gentler with you…"

"I didn't want you to be. You know that." Elphaba shook her head. "Fiyero, I'm all right. I promise."

"No!" He exclaimed heatedly. "You're not, don't you see that? If you were all right, would you have cried? Elphaba, this isn't something to just dismiss."

"I know it's not. It's just, Fiyero, I'd like to forget it."

"It's not that easy."

"It was."

"You thought so, but you were having nightmares, Fae. That doesn't qualify as forgetting it, or being all right."

"Fine. If I'm not all right, then what do we do?"

"I don't know. Sweet Oz, Elphaba, I don't understand you at all. How could you just brush that off? Well, you didn't, obviously, but…" He trailed off and buried his face in her hair. "Please, let me protect you."

She pushed him away. "No! I can take care of myself."

Fed up with her arguments, he spat, "Right, sure. So tell me, if you can handle yourself so damn well, how did you get raped?"

She winced and scooted away from him, hurt and burdened with the fact that he had a point. "Fiyero…" Elphaba swallowed hard and moved to look at the wall, ignoring him. His comments stung, but she wasn't going to give him the power of seeing that.

They were still sitting facing away from one another when they arrived at the hotel. Elphaba's red eyes and drawn face earned a curious glance from Glinda and a concerned one from Nanny, but neither party bothered to say anything. By now they knew that if the couple was having a problem, it was best to leave it to the two to figure it out. So when Elphaba and Fiyero trudged silently into the hotel room they were to spend the night in, Glinda and Nanny shrugged and followed suit.

Elphaba changed quickly and clambered into bed, rolling over to the side. Fiyero took his time. Pulling the blankets away from the bed so he could climb in, he exposed Elphaba to the unforgiving air of the room, if only just for a moment. She jumped and curled into a ball, glaring at him hatefully.

"Would you please stop looking at me that way?" He asked, settling himself in next to her, so close that if she moved she'd fall off the bed or touch him.

"What way?"

"Like I've done something wrong."

"You think you haven't?"

"No. If anyone's done something wrong between the two of us, love, it's you."

She hissed and made to roll away. Elphaba suddenly realized that she'd tumble down and Fiyero grabbed her around the waist before she could. "Um, thanks."

Again, he asked, "Let me protect you?"

Elphaba sighed heavily and let herself be molded nearer to her husband's body. "Well, you are my hero, after all…"


	41. Sorry?

**Chapter Forty-One: Sorry?**

Fiyero felt her stiffen. They'd been sitting in the Palace waiting for over an hour, his arms around her waist as she leaned against him lazily, when a door opened and a guard walked in, presumably to escort Glinda, Elphaba and Nessa to the Wizard's office. The guard looked at his three charges and paused, taken aback for some reason, and then shook his head. "Misses Elphaba, Nessarose and Glinda?" He asked, reading from his clipboard.

Elphaba was immediately clutching Fiyero's hand desperately. He gave her a questioning look and she tried to smile at him. It wasn't very believable. Nonetheless, she stood up and took charge of Nessa's wheelchair. Nanny would stay in the lobby with Fiyero, as was instructed.

Fiyero pulled Glinda aside. "Please, no matter what happens, don't let her say something stupid. Don't let her run off. If anything goes wrong, do what you can. I don't care if you have to chant a spell to black her out, just keep her from harming her chances."

Glinda nodded. "I know. Don't worry so much, Fiyero."

"How can I not?" He gestured to Elphaba, who was trying to focus all of her attention on only Nessa.

Glinda giggled. "True. Well, I'll watch out for her. I don't want to lose her any more than you do."

Fiyero hugged Glinda and then watched as the three walked, led by the guard, down into the depths of the Palace. He returned to the comfortable chairs, a few seats away from Nanny, and closed his eyes for a moment.

A guard was tapping him on the shoulder. "Master Fiyero? Prince of the Arjikis? The Wizard requests that you join the meeting, sir."

He blinked sleepily and looked at the face of the same guard who had brought Elphaba, Glinda and Nessa to the Wizard's office earlier. "Oh! I'm sorry. I had a late night." Fiyero dusted himself off quickly and stood to follow the guard.

The guard coughed and led Fiyero down emerald hallways. He bowed slightly as he opened the door. "The Wizard awaits, sir."

Fiyero nodded and walked into the room. At the head of the table was who Fiyero assumed to be the Wizard, an old graying man with weak limbs and a false grin. Nessa, Glinda and Elphaba were gathered around the table. He grabbed the empty seat next to his wife after bowing respectfully and murmuring, "Your Ozness."

Elphaba looked at him, relief in her eyes. She let him take her hand. "Our Glorious Wizard asked you to join us since you are my husband and share my responsibilities, not to mention will eventually take the roll of ruling the Arjikis and possibly the entirety of the Vinkus." Biting her lip, she wondered how fake her voice sounded.

Only Fiyero noticed, and possibly Glinda. The Wizard only continued his smirking and spoke. "Right. As I was saying, in my old age I've decided it shall be best to split up the ruling of Oz between four territories. I shall handle the south, Miss Glinda the north, as that is her native land, Miss Nessarose the east, as that is her native land, and much of what she would be doing, being Eminent Thropp, and Miss Elphaba the west, as she currently resides there and is married to the prince of the most powerful Vinkun tribe."

Fiyero nodded. All of this was beyond him. As the Wizard explained more, he barely heard any of it. He focused on Elphaba, assuring himself that she was happy, and not about to burst out into some sort of rage that could compromise their peaceful situation. Ironically, she had no problems until they were returning to the lobby.

The guard who had led them there was leading them back and attempted to speak to Elphaba as they entered the lobby. He cornered her as Fiyero was gathering their things. All Fiyero could hear before Elphaba cut the man off was, "Forgive… control… you… sorry… meant… hurt you… understand… different…"

Elphaba then reached up and slapped the guard hard across the face. "No way in hell. I can't believe you had the nerve to come near me. Get away from me."

Fiyero watched as the guard pivoted and turned around, red-faced, and exited back into the depths of the Palace. Elphaba was shaking. "Fae?" He reached to touch her.

She backed away. "Don't."

"Elphaba…" Glinda was nervous, too.

She collapsed into one of the chairs. "Sweet Oz," she mumbled, tearing her fingers through her hair.

Fiyero nodded for Glinda to disappear and sat down next to Elphaba without touching her. "Fae, what was that about?"

When Elphaba looked into his eyes, everything was terrifyingly clear. "He… that's the…"

"Oh my god." Fiyero stood up again and whirled around, almost ready to run after the guard into the Palace. Elphaba placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. He clenched his jaw. She needed him more. So he turned back to her.

Her face was blank. "Let's just go back to the hotel, okay?"

"Aren't we heading back towards home?"

"Were you listening at all? We have to come back tomorrow for a longer explanation (Oz help us) and a few more rules."

"Oh, yeah," Fiyero shrugged.

"Let's get in the carriage, okay? Glinda, Nanny and Nessa are waiting."

He sighed and left the building with her. The taxi carriage had one empty seat and Elphaba placed herself on the other side of it, making it obvious she didn't want to sit directly next to anyone or anything but the wall. Fiyero sat on the other side of the empty seat, obeying her wishes. She tried to give him a grateful look. Nessa and Glinda opened their mouths, but she shook her head quickly. The ride was silent.

Glinda pulled him aside when they entered the lobby. Elphaba ignored this and headed up the stairs to the room without waiting for him. Having taken notice of this and Elphaba's other behavior, Glinda asked, "What's going on with her?"

No one, not Glinda or Nanny or Nessa, no one but Fiyero's family knew about when Elphaba had run off into the city, though he thought Glinda might have some suspicions about it. "I can't tell you."

"Who was that man, Fiyero? You've got to know. You wouldn't allow her not to tell you! If some man had that sort of effect on your wife, you sure as hell better know why!" Glinda demanded.

"I know why." Fiyero told her. "But I cannot tell you. Things have happened in the past year since Elphaba and I have been married that you don't know, that Elphaba hasn't told you yet, and I'm leaving it up to her to tell you. I apologize."

Glinda's eyes widened. "Is she pregnant?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"We're waiting. I'm positive she isn't pregnant. It's almost impossible, if we've calculated right."

"Then what is it?"

"I said this. I can't say. You'll have to ask her yourself."

Glinda made to go upstairs. "I will."

"Not now. I need some time with her, okay?"

Glinda sighed, disappointed. "Fine."

Elphaba was lying sprawled on the bed on her back, staring vacantly at the ceiling when Fiyero walked in. He tried not to get too near to her, fearing how she might react at anyone's touch. Standing close to the edge of the bed, he knelt so he was eye level with her, if she chose to look at him. "That was him?"

She swallowed hard and nodded faintly.

"But you said he was part of the Resistance. Why was he working for the Wizard?"

"He's been doing that since before I even came to the city. It's the least likely position for a member of the Resistance to have, isn't it? Besides, he might be able to get useful information."

"Aren't you worried he might expose you?"

"He'd then be exposing himself. Stupid idea."

"Okay." Fiyero rested his chin on the edge of the bed. "What did he say?"

"He asked me to forgive him. He claimed that the moment he saw me he fell in love with me and he knew he couldn't have me any other way. He said he was sorry, that he just lost control. He begged for me to 'please understand', and that he never meant to hurt me, that it was different than I thought." Elphaba looked sick.

"So you slapped him?"

"Pretty much. I mean, how could he even approach me? He knew the moment I saw him I was uncomfortable and wanted him to stay away from me!"

"Why didn't you tell me it was him earlier?"

"I didn't get the chance." She sat up. "What's with you? Are you afraid I'm going to bite your head off? You don't need to stay a yard away from me at all times, you know."

He knew that, for Elphaba, that was practically a plea for him to hold her. Fiyero climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her gently. "My sweet Fae," he murmured. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

She relaxed in his arms. "I know you won't. Oh, Yero, how can you love me after all of this?"

He almost said that he didn't know. Catching himself he said, "I just can."

Elphaba wanted badly to just hide herself in him, close out the world, retreat to their mansion and never face anyone but her love again. But, damn it, her conscience wouldn't allow her that much, she knew. All she could hope for was that she could do what she felt she needed to with him by her side always. He made her act so weak sometimes, though. "I love you."

"I love you, too. You know that."

She kissed him longingly. "Fiyero, I need you."

He smiled and hugged her closely again. "I need you more."

"I'm not so sure."

"Really?"

"Just, please, shut up and hold me?"

He looked down into her eyes and let their lips meet in passion and devotion, and then he erased her pain, cloth by cloth, thrust by thrust, love by love.


	42. The Secret Lives of Snow White and Dopey

**Chapter Forty-Two: The Secret Lives of Snow White and Dopey**

The Wizard sent out a team of his guards with each "leader" to each of the other three sections of Oz. Neither Elphaba nor Fiyero could oppose without looking suspicious when a certain guard was made caption of the troop that would head out to the west. Returning home (a place which the Wizard now referred to as "west base"), Fiyero and Elphaba tread carefully. When several of the top guards attempted to enter the house, Elphaba balked.

"It is our job to protect the Governors, ma'am," the head guard said stonily.

"Someone else can do it, Alapedgio."

The two guards behind the captain did a double take and glanced, startled, at Elphaba. No one had introduced himself. How did the female Governor know this guard's name?

The main guard blinked. "I'm afraid things don't work that way, _Elphaba_."

Fiyero immediately got in between them. "Do what you wish. You will _not_ follow us much further into the mansion, is that clear? And none of the guards is to be around my wife without another, specifically me, around, understood?"

The captain lowered his eyes. "Yes, sir. But the rules…"

"What are the rules?"

"Well, they state that someone needs to be just outside the room that a Governor is in at all times."

"Fine. At all times, my wife and I will be in the same room, with a few exceptions for minor periods of time."

"Fiyero!" Elphaba exclaimed. "You know I like my alone time…"

"I'll stay out of your way. I won't even look at you. We have large rooms in this house. It'll be fine."

She bit her lip. "If it's for the best."

He touched her hand. "You know as well as I do that it is."

The other guards felt that Fiyero was an overprotective husband, and even Alapedgio was unsure how much the man knew and if he was being overbearing or not. He knew Elphaba had run away once, that could very well be an explanation for his behavior, as well. But anyone could tell Elphaba was mostly an independent person, and the fact that she put up with her husband's obviously controlling actions was unexpected. Of course, Alapedgio made a note to be sure to stay out of the prince's way.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to rest. It's been a long day." Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and headed upstairs.

Alapedgio and another guard followed, true to their posts. Just as Fiyero was about to close the door to the bedroom, the other guard cleared his throat. "We request that you leave the door open, so we can hear any danger."

"And we request privacy, which means no way." Elphaba replied hotly, slamming the door.

The other guard raised his eyebrows and sat down in the hall. "Damn. I guess they must have some pretty steamy plans for the night."

Alapedgio grimaced. "Let's not think about that. If we hear yelling, let's analyze it before we burst in, all right?"

Snorting, the second guard replied, "Gee, I hope they aren't that loud."

"Me, too."

Fiyero and Elphaba actually didn't make love that night. Elphaba was shaken and Fiyero was well aware of it, and thus simply nuzzled with her lovingly. The two fell asleep in a reasonable amount of time, smiles on their faces, having forgotten about any other presence around them but one another.

In the morning, Alapedgio and his companion awoke in sitting positions outside the bedroom at a noise from the stairs. Perria was coming to bring the couple breakfast in bed. He stopped the woman. "If you'll excuse us, one of us needs to enter the room with you, ma'am."

The servant shrugged and allowed Alapedgio to precede her before entering the room. "Oh," she whispered, "Sweet darlings, they're still asleep!"

It was summer and the blankets were kicked to the edge of the bed. The couple slept naked every night, whether or not they had sex. They were both lying on their sides facing the same direction, only most of Fiyero's body was blocked from sight by Elphaba's, face innocent and close-eyed as she allowed Fiyero to have an arm wrapped firmly around her waist. At the moment Perria and Alapedgio entered the room, Fiyero's eyes opened and he looked at them past Elphaba's hair. Not really seeing Alapedgio, he asked, "Perria, is it already time for us to wake up?"

"Well, you don't have to wake up. As you know, you can wake whenever you please, Master Fiyero. This is the time you asked me to bring you up breakfast, though." The woman placed her large tray on the bedside table nearest Fiyero (he refused to call it his "side of the bed" because they slept so close that sides were hard to determine; true, she was always on the left and he the right, but they were always very near to one another and often drifted to one side of the bed or other).

Suddenly Fiyero noticed Alapedgio and tugged the blankets over his and Elphaba's bodies (more specifically Elphaba's body) quickly. His eyes narrowed. "Did you need something?"

"Not exactly. It's procedure to follow anyone who is entering a room a Governor is in into the room, for a Governor's safety, sir." Alapedgio eyed Fiyero warily. Had Elphaba ever even told her husband about what Alapedgio had, well, done to her? He couldn't tell, oddly enough. "Um, look, sir, we need to work out some code names, in a way, so we can refer to you quickly to you, your wife and the other guards without everyone having to know whom we are talking about. It's also a bit confusing, since we cannot just say 'the Governor', as there are two of you."

Fiyero carefully sat up, assuring that Elphaba was still leaning against him slightly. She didn't seem to have felt him move; she just continued to sleep. "Very well. What did you have in mind? Do you need a special name, too? Each of the guards?"

"Most of them just go by numbers. I'm probably going to have a different name, as captain, of course. Think of some fairytale character, or some myth or archetype that best defines you and one that best defines your wife and those should work well. I would avoid using 'the Witch'."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows and glared at Alapedgio. "Thanks. I wasn't considering it, if you were wondering. I don't see my wife as a witch at all."

"I never said you would."

"Can't you come up with these?" Fiyero was exasperated.

"I want to make sure you are aware of them and have no problems with them, sir." Alapedgio elaborated.

"Oh. All right, then. Can you think of any? I'll tell you if I've got issues with them or I think my wife would."

Elphaba stirred then, stretching out and pushing the blanket away (an action which immediately sent Fiyero into a panic). She yawned and almost smiled happily, looking up at Fiyero, but she noticed he was focused on something else. Looking across the room, her face turned darker when she set eyes on Alapedgio, and she assisted Fiyero in pulling the blanket right back up. Suspiciously, she asked, "What the hell do you want?"

Alapedgio quickly reiterated what he'd just explained to Fiyero and tried to take a step closer to the bed. Seeing Elphaba duck beneath the covers and clutch at Fiyero, he backed off. "Sorry. Anyway, did you have any ideas or should I throw some out there?"

"Maybe we should call you 'Beauty'," Fiyero suggested to Elphaba.

"What and you be 'the Beast'? I think it's the other way around, dear."

"Elphaba! You are beautiful! How many times have I told you?"

"Way too many." She poked him, whispering so Alapedgio couldn't hear (though she was unaware that he could), "I think you should be 'Prince Charming', but that would be too obvious."

He rolled his eyes and hugged her against him. "It would be, seeing as I _am_ a prince."

"And quite charming, too," Elphaba teased.

"I didn't think you thought so," he pretended to pout.

Elphaba rolled over. "Shut up."

Alapedgio cleared his throat.

"Could we get dressed and discuss this with you in the living room downstairs, perhaps?" Fiyero suggested.

Alapedgio nodded. "I'll be just outside, sir."

The door closed and Elphaba said softly, "That was something I didn't want to wake up to."

Fiyero looked at her lovingly and kissed her chin. "I know." He got up and started to dress.

Elphaba did the same. In moments, she was behind Fiyero, grasping his hand as they exited the room. Suddenly she felt pathetic and pulled her hand away. She could face this. Fiyero was beside her; she didn't need his hand to reassure herself of such.

As they headed downstairs, Alapedgio introduced them to the other guard who had sat outside their room. "This is Number Five. We don't believe in giving you the real names of most of the guards, as it would be wrong for a guard to have any personal relationship with those they are guarding."

Elphaba coughed indiscreetly. "Oh, really?"

Alapedgio glared at her. She gave him an even fiercer glare in return. Fiyero tugged at her hair. Elphaba slapped him away. Alapedgio said subtly, "Never bite the hand that feeds you."

"First of all," Elphaba said harshly, "he doesn't feed me. Second of all," she grinned knowingly at Fiyero, "he likes it when I bite him, thank you."

Number Five snorted and Alapedgio turned away, opening the door to the living room and holding it so the couple could enter first. Fiyero sat down on one of the smaller couches and Elphaba settled in next to him comfortably, snuggling closer when he put his arm around her. He had a look on his face that said very clearly: _mine_.

"Can we get this done with sometime soon?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, we were planning on taking a hike out to my family's cabin in the Vinkun woods, having a romantic dinner and spending the night… without any servants or anything." Fiyero said.

"We were?" Elphaba cocked her head.

"I was."

"Whatever you two do, we'll have to send two guards with you. I'm sorry." Alapedgio insisted.

"The cabin is just one large room. There is no way." Fiyero argued.

"Then they'll spend the evening outside, all right? It's not as if they aren't trained for all conditions, and it's a warm summer day. As you were saying, sir, we best get down to business so you can leave." Alapedgio couldn't see why such a stubborn young woman would be married to a man who seemed as possessive as Fiyero. What he didn't know was that Fiyero was only behaving that way because of Alapedgio, which Elphaba understood and tolerated. In a way, she wanted him to act that way.

Relaxing back against Fiyero, Elphaba said, "Well, I certainly couldn't be _Snow White_."

"Perfect." Alapedgio said.

"What?" Both Fiyero and Elphaba said in unison.

"No one would guess. That's what we want."

"And my husband would be…?"

"Well, you already ruled out Prince Charming."

"I think he should be one of the seven dwarfs. That'd be cute." Elphaba ruffled Fiyero's hair.

He grabbed her hands to stop her and kissed each finger. "Sure."

Elphaba smirked. "And I know just which one, too. Dopey."


	43. A Bit of Insight

**AN: Yes, I know this chapter is weird. Duh. And yes, a cliffhanger. The worst I've ever left you with. Here you go. Well, maybe not WORST, if you don't count "A New Boy at Shiz" when... nevermind. You know what I meant.**

**Chapter Forty-Three: A Bit of Insight**

When Elphaba and Fiyero headed for the cabin in the forest, Alapedgio stayed back, sending another guard along with Number Five rather than going himself. He claimed he wanted to "get familiar with the premises". Okay, so he was snooping. Beginning with the first floor, he nosed around the house looking for anything that could tell him about the life Elphaba had returned to instead of staying in the city. However, he did go out of order a bit, for he saved the bedroom for last.

There was almost nothing to be found downstairs, and so he checked out the study and library. He noted how large the library was; it amused him to see that most of the books looked like they had been well read (especially in the fantasy section). Again, the last, uppermost floor didn't have anything of interest and so he wandered curiously into the bedroom.

The room was huge; he barely knew where to start. He decided to open the closet, first. It was a walk-in closet, and one side seemed to be Prince Fiyero's and the other Elphaba's. Half of the clothes (he noted the more elegant ones) looked as if they'd never been worn. Alapedgio laughed to himself; that was Elphaba. A closer inspection turned up no more and so he closed the closet doors and shut off the lights within.

He began digging through dresser drawers. In some drawers that held older clothes, Alapedgio began finding things in the pockets. Most of the clothes were Prince Fiyero's, of course, as most women's clothes had to be hung up. When he shut the drawers, he'd found several coins (which he'd left where he'd found them) and several old crumpled pieces of paper. Then there was the journal.

The first paper he flattened out was a notice announcing some sort of ball, requiring an escort. It had been sent, it seemed, to all of the girls at Shiz University. Strange that Prince Fiyero had it, wasn't it? On the other hand, it could be some sort of keepsake, something signifying his and Elphaba's first date or something. On the back of the page he found a couple of things scrawled in messy, unorganized handwriting: _Ask her… Meeting her at the doors of the auditorium… refuses to allow me to meet her at the dorm… Glinda won't tell me what Elphie's wearing…_

Elphie? He'd never expected her to put up with a nickname like _that_. Well, her life was much different than he'd predicted, wasn't it? Alapedgio slipped the paper back into the top drawer and smoothed out another. Class notes. "Elphaba and Fiyero" drawn in hearts. An angry pencil mark crossing it out and a note written in different handwriting, "You're acting like a lovesick puppy. Please don't act this way or I'll be forced to… well, something bad, anyway." That had to be Elphaba's.

Now it was the journal. The first page read as such:

"Today while spending time with Elphaba in her dorm room (yes, we were alone and… touching), I wanted to tell her that I loved her, but I just couldn't. I know how she'd react. She'd turn away, I just know it! Anyway, Morrible came in and it turns out Elphaba's going to the city over break. I came up with a plan so I can go along, too. Elphaba and I will be sharing a room. Oz only knows what _that_ might lead to."

The next entry:

"Those carriage rides are as long as hell! Honestly. I kept falling asleep. So here I am, in the hotel, Elphaba's sleeping, but I'm not. I slept too much during the day. She, of course, spent the majority of the time reading. After a little while, she woke me up and… she's been acting really weird, lately. This afternoon in the carriage, we were kissing and such and she coaxed me into making her bleed between her legs. She explained later that it was just because she wanted to get that part, that pain, over with so when we do make love than it'll feel less painful, but I'm still uncomfortable. I hate hurting her. Anyway, I guess I know what that means, though. The first time… Sweet Oz, I love her so much. Tonight she asked me to sleep next to her in the bed, and I agreed (no surprise there). It feels so wonderful holding her when she's sleeping. I'd love to do this every night for the rest of my life."

Two pages later:

"I'm sitting here waiting for her to get out of her meeting with the Wizard and I can't stop thinking about last night. We finally made love – not once, but twice. She wouldn't let me turn the lights on, though, and I wanted to see her, really see her, dreadfully, but I understand her reasoning. She said it seemed more romantic with the lights off, anyway, which is true. It was incredible, having every part of her accessible to me to do as I wished. I even tasted her. It was better than honey, better than anything I've ever delighted in tasting. I want to taste that every time I make love to her from now on. And then the actual lovemaking… I can't even describe it. All I'm going to say is that we made the old lady next to us really, really mad. This morning, when I woke up, she was out of bed already and dressed and she seemed uncomfortable again. I hope that doesn't last. I'm going to tell her soon that I love her. I've got to. I should've told her last night, but something made me think I shouldn't, that it would ruin the moment. But I will tell her. I have to."

The next entry (on the same page) was written in even messier handwriting than usual, though it was no doubt Prince Fiyero's writing:

"I don't know what to do. I can't think straight. How could she want to leave me? I thought we were more than that. Apparently, the Wizard's been behind the whole Animal thing. She found that out at her meeting today. Afterwards, she almost ran off into the city, ready to leave her sister, Glinda and me, not to mention every one at Shiz. We tried to talk sense into her, hold her back, but nothing worked. And then… I said it. I told her. And what a reaction I got! She fainted. So we did what was expected; we put her in the carriage she was to share with me and got going. It's dark in here but I don't have the heart to turn on a light, it might bother her. I think Glinda and Nessa know what happened between Elphaba and I, now, and that's definitely not a good thing. Well, she's sitting here in my lap, looking almost peaceful… I wonder what she'll say when she wakes up. Will she hate me? Will she say that she loves me, too?"

There were pages upon pages more, but Alapedgio paused for a moment in thought. It confused him, the way she'd seemingly dealt with her virginity… making her soon-to-be lover cause blood with his hands rather than waiting until the actual moment of lovemaking. And then the fact that the two hadn't, in fact, waited until being married to make love… that wasn't surprising, really. However, Prince Fiyero's yearning to tell her of his love for her and her reaction immediately afterwards was unexpected. From the way she acted with her husband _now_, he'd have thought she would've simply jumped into his arms and responded that she loved him, too. At one point, she must've been colder and more closed off in that relationship, he suspected, as that was the only reason he could think of for Prince Fiyero to have been so afraid of saying "I love you".

Alapedgio began reading through the journal again. It detailed Prince Fiyero's plans for proposal, the actual proposal and response, and the wedding night. It went no further. He put the journal away. He had more insight now, on the beginnings of the relationship up through the wedding, but it told him nothing of the relationship more than a year afterward. Prince Fiyero seemed like he'd been less defensive at the start, and Elphaba bitterer and more unloving. Everything was much more different than it was now.

He sighed. It looked as if it was time to rummage through something that might tell him what he needed to know, but might tell him more than anyone would ever want to know, also: the bedside table. Actually, there were two. One on Elphaba's "side of the bed" and one on Prince Fiyero's. Elphaba was more impersonal, so he figured he'd start there. Alapedgio opened the single drawer.

On top of everything was a calendar. There were four days of each month marked in red with no writing on them, which he didn't need to even think in order to realize what that signified. She was a woman; of course she was tracking her menstrual cycle. In addition to those days, there were three each month marked in blue pen. Written in tiny handwriting was: "Could conceive, be extra cautious, remind F to use special contraception covers". Alapedgio raised his eyebrows. He had no idea what the last phrase alluded to. Well, he understood that those were days when she could get pregnant, and that she wanted to be careful and would remind her husband to use… something? No matter; he supposed he'd figure out what that referred to when he reached Prince Fiyero's drawer.

Beneath the calendar were letters, letters dated before the first date of the journal he'd found in Prince Fiyero's dresser. It looked to be as if it'd been the summer holidays, and Prince Fiyero had been writing to her. The gist of the letters was that he missed her terribly and that her responses were fairly humorous. Cute. Alapedgio stuck his tongue out and pretended to gag. There was nothing interesting in _this_ drawer. Onto Prince Fiyero's.

Again, several letters. They looked to be the responses of the letters he'd found in Elphaba's drawer. He wondered if either of them knew the other had them, still. Then there were a bunch of woven Vinkus scarves. Part of him wondered what the hell they were in the bedside table for, and the other part of him really did not want to know, so he ignored them. On the bottom of a drawer was a small box labeled "contraception". Alapedgio let his curiosity get the best of him and opened it. There were many plastic sheath-looking things with elastic around the top. A "direction" page also fell out of the box, too. "Guaranteed to keep semen from entering the woman!" It advertised. That was easy enough to understand. Gingerly, he closed the drawers and headed upstairs to the fifth floor, the guards quarters, for a rest.

When they returned, Elphaba's face was dull with shock and Prince Fiyero's was set with determination. Alapedgio came downstairs as the two were arguing. Elphaba was saying, "Don't go."

"Fae, you don't understand, I have to. It's not that easy. I'm their prince, I'm obligated to go, if I'm available, and so is my father. I can't just refuse." Fiyero protested.

"But why?"

"Because my father and I have to lead them. It's that simple."

"Let me come."

"You cannot."

"Because I'm a woman, right?" She put her hands on her hips.

Fiyero took a deep breath. "These things are custom. If you think it's wrong, we'll deal with that later, but this is immediate and I have to go tomorrow morning. Please, Fae, don't argue with me on this."

"What's going on?" Alapedgio asked.

Elphaba answered softly, "He's going to war."


	44. How to Survive

Chapter Forty-Four: How to Survive 

Though the Vinkus had been peaceful for the past three decades or so, the Scrow tribe had randomly decided to start attacking Arjiki civilians whenever they could find one alone. The Arjiki tribe had no choice but to declare war. Fiyero's father had intercepted Elphaba and Fiyero on their way back from the cabin to inform his son of the oncoming battle. All men above the age of eighteen were expected to join the forces and assist in the war, including the king and princes. Two of Fiyero's younger brothers would actually be joining their father and eldest brother on the battleground, too.

Elphaba did not react well. She begged and pleaded with Fiyero not to go. He gently told her that she was being selfish, as she had once accused him of being. This was similar to her situation when she had wanted to run off into the city, except there was more than just conscience forcing him to go. They did not have a good night.

In the morning, when Fiyero's father came by on a horse waiting for his eldest son, Elphaba was there to see Fiyero off. She was quieter than usual and looked more subdued, like perhaps she'd taken a tranquilizer or something of the sort. Before he left, she asked weakly, "You won't be gone very long, right?"

Fiyero swallowed hard. "Elphaba… sometimes this sort of thing lasts for over a year. It's rare, but it does happen."

"All that time when it's just a bunch of men throwing punches?"

He lowered his eyes. "It's more than that, Fae." Fiyero took the spears and arrows his father handed him and placed them in the bags hanging over his horse's back. "We're not that behind, at least not in warfare."

Elphaba looked stricken. "You won't get hurt, will you?"

"I can't say for sure."

"Well, shouldn't you be the safest? I would think your men would protect you, as you're their prince and such."

"I have to be right up in the front of everything, leading them. I told you that." He said carefully. Fiyero caressed her cheek with his thumb and forefinger. "You know I don't want to go. I have to."

Elphaba threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. As tears streaked down her cheeks, she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her. Fiyero approached the group of guards that were outside. "If anyone so much as touches her in a way she doesn't like, you're all dead. Is that clear?"

The guards nodded solemnly.

He turned back to Elphaba and clasped her hand. "Bye." Fiyero mounted his horse and galloped off to follow his father.

When Fiyero was out of sight, Elphaba turned around and headed into the house, rejecting Perria's offer of a big, delicious breakfast, simply saying, "I didn't get a good sleep last night. I'm just going to take a nap."

In the master bathroom, with the guards outside the door as usual, she rifled through the medicine cabinet for some sleeping potion, drank a portion good enough to keep her out for about twenty hours and laid down in the bed to get some sleep.

After waking up, she ate some, wandered the house blankly and then took yet another dose of sleeping potion and did the same routine all over again. She did this for about two weeks until she ran out of potion.

"Perria!" She called, standing with the empty bottle of potion in the bedroom.

"Yes?"

"Could you get some more of this?"

"No."

Elphaba blinked. "Why not?"

"Because you've abused it enough already. It's not good for you to keep doing this, Mistress Elphaba."

"What if I said I don't care? You are supposed to do as I ask, aren't you?"

"Master Fiyero made me promise to make sure you took care of yourself, and I don't think this qualifies. His orders over yours, I'm sorry."

"I suppose saying 'please' isn't going to help?" Elphaba tried.

Perria shook her head. "He wouldn't like this, and you know that as well as I do."

Elphaba sighed heavily. She had no idea where the sleeping potion came from, and she couldn't very well go buy some herself. This was the price of being pampered, wasn't it? "But what am I going to do all day?"

"You used to spend all that time in the library. Why don't you go read something?" Perria prodded.

Elphaba shrugged. "I guess so." Followed by Alapedgio and Number Five, she headed upstairs into the library. She pulled out an old, worn book and cradled it in her arms. It was the book that Fiyero had bought back at Shiz as part of his attempt to resolve their fight. Lying back on the couch, she opened the book and began to read.

Fiyero's voice echoed in her head and she reached out to touch him, only then remembering where he was. She slammed the book shut and held it to her bosom, closing her eyes. "Please bring him back to me," she whispered, again and again, rocking back and forth, "Please."

Alapedgio and Number Five looked at one another. This wasn't healthy behavior and they knew someone was going to have to talk her out of there.

"I don't want to go in there." Number Five shook his head. "Look at her. I can't possibly imagine what in Oz makes her need that man so much."

Alapedgio agreed, "I don't know, either."

"You go." Number Five pushed. "I can't deal with that."

"That might not be a good idea…"

"Why not?"

Alapedgio couldn't say anything more. "Fine." He stepped into the room and walked up to the couch. Tenderly, he pulled the book out of Elphaba's arms. She snapped and lunged for the book, but he held it out of her reach. "Elphaba, you can't act like this."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" She challenged.

"I'm no one. Whatever. But we can't let you do this to yourself."

"What does it matter to you?"

"It's my job. You know that. You're acting destructive." He put the book away and sat down on the couch as far away from her as he could manage. "Look, I understand you miss your husband…"

"You couldn't ever understand!" She growled.

"Then make me understand. Tell me."

"Why should I?"

"What else have you got to do, Elphaba?"

He had a point. Everything she tried to do led to her throwing some kind of fit. Still, she wasn't so sure she wanted to have this discussion. "You really aren't the person I'd want to talk to about this."

Perria came bursting into the room at the moment. "Mistress Elphaba, what on earth is wrong?"

"Perria, it was a nice idea, it was, it just… didn't work."

"Why don't you talk to Queen Elyria, honey? I'm sure she can understand. I was just coming in to tell you that she was here."

"Oh!" Elphaba straightened herself out and stood up. "I'll go see her."

Watching Elphaba walk down the stairs, Perria shook her head. To Alapedgio and Number Five, she said, "I have never seen that woman behave this way. She is never like this. She used to run away from Master Fiyero, and now she can't even manage to exist. I don't know what has gotten into her."

"Maybe it took her a while to realize how much she needs him." Alapedgio suggested.

"Maybe. She's just not a weak creature that way, though. I guess she must miss him like hell."

Alapedgio and Number Five trudged downstairs to follow Elphaba and stand in the doorway. She'd already entered the room and was sitting across from Elyria. "Hello."

The woman stood up and engulfed Elphaba in a hug. "I know you miss him."

Elphaba only nodded as the woman sat back down.

"Well, I have some sort of good news, then. During these times, when the tribe is at war, we open up the majority of the first floor of the castle as an infirmary to injured men." Seeing the look on Elphaba's face, she put a hand out, "No, Fiyero isn't hurt. But two or three of the healthier men are given the duty of foreseeing the safe return of the sick, injured and dead. Often the men send letters to their families through these men. I have something for you. I didn't read it. Oz only knows my son would write something scandalous that I would hate myself for reading." Elyria took a folded note out of her pocket and handed it to Elphaba.

"Oh, thank you!" Elphaba smiled down at the note – the first time she'd smiled at anything, Alapedgio noticed.

"Many of the women in the tribe spend a lot of time working in the infirmary, since we normally only have one doctor. I wanted to ask you if you'd like to join us."

That would give her something to do during the days, wouldn't it? "I'd love to. Well, not love to, but I'd… well, you know."

Elyria patted Elphaba's knee and stood. "I'm going to head back."

"I'll be over in an hour or so." Elphaba yearned to read the letter in privacy before doing anything else.

"I'll see you then. You can stay in the castle, if you like."

"I'll think about it." Elphaba said.

"See you soon."

The minute Elyria was out of the room, Elphaba clutched the letter to herself tightly and scooted over on a couch to get nearest a light. She unfolded it slowly. It was a piece of notebook paper, seemingly torn out from a journal of some sort.

"Fae,

I miss you. What more is there for me to say? Every night, when we've made camp and I'm covered in some scratchy blanket, I think about you… I always do. But I think about you the most when I've got nothing to do, at night. Every single part of my body aches for you. I could start from the top and tell you how. My eyes would do anything to see you, my ears to hear your voice. My nose would love to smell your hair right after you (or we) have showered. My mouth longs to kiss you, to talk to you, to taste you. My neck feels bare without your arms around it in an embrace. My arms want to hold you. My hands would delight in holding your hands, in washing you under the faucet of the shower. My fingers miss tracing each line, each curve of your body, they miss slipping into you, pleasing you. My chest needs you cradled against it… I realize if I go much farther… well, you know how some of my other parts miss you. Sweet Oz, I hope this reaches you before it reaches my mother!

Anyway, the fighting is going all right. My father and brothers are fine, though I can't say the same for all of our men. We lost one for the first time yesterday… I shudder to think that could have been any of us. Every time I see a spear, an arrow, even (rarely) a gun, I think about what it could do to me… how I have to get home to you. I mean, for Oz's sake, we haven't even had any children yet. I can't let something happen to me before that. I need to be around for so much more, for the next few years alone together, for the day I finally do father a child with you, for the day you hold our child in your arms, for the day he/she walks, talks… I'm upsetting myself, and surely upsetting you. I shouldn't talk this way. Fae, I miss you so much, though.

Love always,  
Fiyero"

Elphaba bit her lip and tried not to cry. She delicately refolded the note and placed it in her bedside table when she went upstairs, packing for a stay at the castle. It would be there when she needed it.

Right before following Elphaba over to the castle, Alapedgio snuck a look at the letter (he'd seen her put it in the drawer). He felt, for a moment, an immense self-hatred at having even tried to come between the two. Then he shook himself a bit, set his face and turned down the stairs.


	45. No Time to Celebrate

Chapter Forty-Five: No Time to Celebrate 

The atmosphere in the infirmary was horrifying. Since so many of the women were working there and the dead were brought there, too, a woman could possibly be the first to know, to see, what had happened to her son, husband or father. Elphaba tended to stay at the back of the room. She didn't want to be right up in the front if Fiyero was ever brought in, dead or injured. They sent the occasional letter back and forth, but that was her only solace.

It pained her, not knowing where he was, what he was doing (or what was being done to him), whether he was okay, whether or not he was even alive. She started to realize what she had done to him by running off into the city. No wonder he'd reacted so. Of course, it'd been different for her, since she'd known she could return to him, if she so desired, within weeks. But this was much different. Neither of them knew if he would return to her, or when.

Despite Alapedgio and Number Five hanging in the corner of any room she was in at all times, she'd gotten into a routine, if one wished to call it such. She'd wander the room and check on the wounded men she'd been assigned to, then would hang around Elyria if she wished to talk, and then she'd go check on the children in the back room. Most of the women had nowhere to put their children, so they used the old living room as a nursery and two women stood watch over it at all times. Sometimes it seemed to Elphaba as if they were the only happy people in the castle.

She invited Shell out, needing company, and knowing Juni was working the infirmary without any friends – being a royal child most of the other girls had always stayed away from her, nervous. He didn't understand the situation, but being bored at home and aspiring to become a doctor, he gladly came out to the Vinkus. Elphaba watched Juni and Shell talking on occasion and it warmed her slightly, that little teenage romances could endure through all the warfare.

Two months went by and the war was not over, far from it, from the sound of Fiyero's letters. He had not been badly hurt so far, for which Elphaba was thankful. Her eyes began to take on a haunted look, though, as she wandered the infirmary day, and most of the night. She didn't sleep well, so she focused the rest of her energy on the people in the infirmary.

Late one evening, a terrifying shriek coursed through the tall walls of the infirmary and Elphaba looked up, alarmed. It was Elyria's scream. Gulping, she made her way over to the front of the room, where several of the women were crowded around the hysterical queen. "My son! My baby…"

Elphaba's breath caught in her throat, tears already stinging her eyes. She didn't know which of Elyria's sons it was, but she was going to cry from him anyway, Fiyero or not. Eyes wide, she made her way through the cluster of women to stand next to Elyria. Full of dread, she finally looked down at the deceased man in front of them. Immediately, Elphaba flung her arms around Elyria and cried with her. "I'm so sorry," she whispered through tears, "I'm so sorry."

It wasn't Fiyero. His brother who had only just turned eighteen lay dead before the group of women. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Juni flee from the room in tears for her brother, Shell running after her. Then somewhere around them, a man cleared his throat.

The three royal men, Rogelio, Fiyero and his other younger brother, had come to assist the caravan in taking back the deceased. They had only come for this much, and probably wouldn't even stay more than an hour or two, but they were there. Elphaba gently ushered Elyria towards Rogelio, who opened his arms and cried silently with his wife. She then turned to Fiyero, who pulled her close and hugged her, crying softly, as well. "Oh Yero, I was so scared…"

He put a finger to her lips. "Don't, Fae."

She nodded tearfully. "I'm sorry about…"

"I know." Fiyero dragged her into a lazy chair in the next room and sat with her, hanging on to her desperately.

"Oh, I hate this, this being without you all of the time, not knowing. Fiyero, I've missed you so much, worried so much."

"Hush, Fae." He held her warm body close to his for as long as he could. Three and a half hours had passed by and it was well into the night when Rogelio tapped him on the shoulder and signaled that it was time to leave again. Regretfully, he let go of Elphaba.

Face red and swollen, tears still dripping meagerly, she kissed him softly and ran a hand through his hair. "Come home to me soon, please."

"I'll try. I love you, Fae."

She turned away, hiding her face in her hands. Elphaba couldn't find her words just then. A hand squeezed her shoulder and then the presence faded. When she looked around, Elyria was sitting quietly in a chair.

"Well, let's get back to work." Elyria choked. "We have to keep going, no matter what. I mean, look at Pedaline, she lost both her son and her husband, and she's working like a horse. I've got to get up. Right?"

"No, you don't. You're forgetting that Pedaline took three days off between all of that. I think you'd best get to bed, actually." Elphaba pointed towards the stairs. "I'll handle things for a little bit, okay?"

Elyria looked at Elphaba weakly. "Did I ever tell you I knew my son married the perfect woman?"

"He didn't. But stop that and get to bed before I have to call a servant to carry you." Elphaba pressed.

Elyria nodded and climbed the stairs slowly. "Thank you, Elphaba."

"There's nothing to thank me for. I'm so sorry."

"I am, too." She disappeared into the hallway then, and Elphaba heard the bedroom door shut.

Elphaba then went looking for Juni and Shell. After fifteen minutes, she found them huddled in a corner of an abandoned servants quarter, Shell with his arms around Juni awkwardly as she sniffled. She dismissed her brother for the moment and knelt down to look at Juni. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. Look, your mother's in her bedroom upstairs if you want to be with her. If you want to spend some time alone, that's also fine; you can head upstairs to your room. Juni, come here," she uneasily pulled the young teenager into a hug and then stood her up. "You've got to get some rest, all right? Go on upstairs."

The girl nodded and ran up to join her mother. Elphaba sighed, fighting back sobs. She had to handle everything, for the time being.

"Elphaba?" Shell was waiting for her.

"Shell… leave Juni alone for a little while, okay? She needs some time. Her brother just passed away, and two of her other brothers are still out there fighting, as is her father."

"Isn't Fiyero out there? Why aren't you freaking out?"

"No one is 'freaking out', Shell. Fiyero hasn't been hurt, and so I have to be strong for them. Someone has to take care of things." Elphaba said.

"Don't you miss him?"

"More than anything. But I can't let that take over right now. Other people need help. Come on, Shell, let's go treat the rest of the men."

Shell nodded and followed her solemnly.

Two more months passed and the women got word that the war was over. The Arjiki tribe had won. But none of the women celebrated. They'd also gotten word that when the victors arrived home and made the procession through town, there would be with them the largest load of dead and injured yet.

Elphaba stood inside the castle as the men entered her view. Leading them was, she squinted, Fiyero's brother. Fiyero and his father were nowhere in sight. She felt Elyria tremble next to her. If Fiyero and Rogelio weren't leading the troop, there were two not very good places that they could be.

A large wagon stopped at the castle. One of the guards put up a hand to hold Elyria back. "Please stay calm, your Highness, he's only injured."

Elyria swallowed hard and stepped back. From within the wagon, a dark figure pulled out a stretcher and wheeled towards the castle. It was hard to discern the figure's face until a shaft of light from the windows of the infirmary caught it.

"Fiyero!" Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief, her whole body collapsing with joy.

Fiyero soberly wheeled the makeshift stretcher towards his mother. "Dad… he's lost… a…"

"An arm," came a voice from the stretcher. "Fiyero, son, why must you act so grim? I can still rule with one arm, can't I?"

Elyria burst into tears beside the stretcher. "I wouldn't care if you'd lost your manhood, I'd still love you."

"You wouldn't care?" Rogelio teased.

"I'd be sad, but I'd still love you." Elyria leaned down and kissed her husband.

"Mom, Dad, don't! Ew!" Fiyero covered his ears and closed his eyes. He then blinked and saw Elphaba shaking with relief at the window. "Fae?"

Elyria looked at her son, at her daughter-in-law and then back towards the stretcher. She took hold of it and wheeled it into the infirmary. "Let's get you cleaned up. That's a nasty wound, as well as you might be taking it."

Fiyero made his way over, not even damaged, to Elphaba, who had fallen back into a chair. He lifted her in his arms. "May I carry you home?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck meekly and nodded.

As he had on their wedding night, Fiyero carried his wife from the castle to their home, smiling all the way there. He didn't care that Alapedgio and Number Five were just behind them as he walked; he could finally hold his wife again and that was all that mattered. When he reached the bedroom, he put her on the bed and moved to undress.

"I hope you're going to shave and shower first," Elphaba opined, finally speaking, "There is no way I'm having sex with you when you're such a mess."

Fiyero grinned. "I wasn't even thinking about sex. I was just getting ready to clean up, thank you. How dare you assume I'm thinking about sex at a time like this?"

Elphaba smiled. "Oh, it must've just been _me_ thinking, then."

He held out a hand to her, "Would you like to shower with me?"

From the doorway (as the door was still open a crack) Alapedgio and Number Five were making faces at one another.

"Nope. I think I'll stay right here and get ready for bed." Elphaba folded her arms across her chest.

"Then I'll just have to rinse myself off all by my lonesome."

"I guess you will."

Fiyero disappeared into the bathroom and Elphaba fell back against the pillows, giddy. He peeked his head in one last time, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." She giggled as he closed the doors. When she was sure she heard the water start, she undressed down to nothing and draped herself across the bed. Elphaba slowly oiled herself down, like she'd used to before Glinda's spell, and spread herself out. "Fiyero, darling," she called, "what's taking you so long? I'm waiting!"

He opened the bathroom door into the bedroom, eyes widening. "Waiting, indeed," he murmured, dropping his towel. Fiyero hopped into the bed and joined her. Cupping her face, he whispered, "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you more."

"No."

"Yes. And I love you."

"I love you, too."

All of the rest of the sounds left Alapedgio and Number Five making even worse facial expressions than they had before.


	46. Inappropriate Behavior

**AN: Okay, the story is DONE. This is NOT the last chapter, but the story is finished. It just needs a bit revising. There will be fifty chapters and an epilogue.**

**Chapter Forty-Six: Inappropriate Behavior**

Outside the bedroom doors, Alapedgio and Number Five sat through the evening and morning grumbling about what was happening inside the doors.

"For Oz's sake, how many times can one couple do it in a night, really?" Number Five muttered after sneaking a peek in the small crack of the doorway. "And how the hell did they come up with so many positions?"

Alapedgio rested his head in his hands. "I don't even want to know how they're doing it this time."

"Hell, if I got married and my wife was that flexible and willing, no one could drag me off to war." Number Five said seriously.

"Oooh! Fiyero!" Elphaba's voice sounded from the room.

"What is so amazing about the way he's got her this time that's so good compared to the Oz knows how many other times he's had her in the past eight hours?" Alapedgio wondered.

Number Five squinted through the doorway. "I think he's got a good penetration angle from this one. Like, I mean really good. Not like he needs it. He's had her coming all night."

"You would think he'd be _tired_ after returning from war."

"Oh, they will be. They'll be sleeping the day through if they ever finish."

Alapedgio groaned. "Why did we end up stuck with the twenty-four hour watch shift _now,_ of all times?"

"Because the Unnamed God wants to either punish us or educate us. Take your pick." Number Five grunted, peering into the room again.

Alapedgio reached over and smacked him. "Would you stop staring? I think you've seen enough of his naked ass."

"And hers, too. They take turns sharing the top."

"My Lurline, just don't!" Alapedgio shoved the door so it slammed shut.

The room beyond them was suddenly silent.

"Uh, Yero?" Elphaba whispered, gasping.

"Hmmm?" He looked up from between her legs, licking his lips sensuously.

"Did the door just close?"

"I think so. Why?"

"The guards were out there all night. If the door only just closed now, I have a feeling they've been listening… maybe watching, too."

Fiyero shook his head and crawled back to her level. "Damn. Well, that's certainly embarrassing, especially tonight."

Elphaba squirmed uncomfortably. "Gross."

"I'm sure they're thinking the same thing." Fiyero joked.

"Not Alapedgio." Elphaba mumbled.

Fiyero sat up. "You don't think…?"

"Oh, Yero my hero, I don't know! Don't ask me. Maybe the other one was watching, that number whatever. He's always seemed like he's got quite the naughty mind." She shrugged.

"Wow, I'm tired," Fiyero said randomly. After having finally stopped for a few moments, he was realizing how exhausted he really was.

As if only just noticing the same, Elphaba yawned. "Oh, me too."

"But what about whoever was spying?"

"I don't know. We'll deal with the little episode of voyeurism in the morning." Elphaba cuddled in close to Fiyero. "It'll be nice to sleep beside you again."

Fiyero wrapped her in his arms. "One thing, Fae?"

"Yeah?" She asked sleepily.

"What does 'voyeurism' mean?"

Elphaba kicked him lightly in the shin. "I'm too damn tired to explain it, now, so shut up."

Fiyero didn't have trouble obliging. He was already asleep.

When the couple emerged from the bedroom hours later, Alapedgio and Number Five bowed to Fiyero as was custom, "Congratulations on your victory, sir."

"I'm just glad to be home," Fiyero said, beaming at Elphaba. He couldn't keep his arms from around her. "I feel like four months of my life have been wasted just because I was away from you," he told her.

"I think you well made up for it last night," Number Five said under his breath.

Alapedgio snorted.

Elphaba, quick to hear this, eyed both men. "Thank you for closing the door. It was a bit late, though. That was completely inappropriate behavior on both of your parts and I'm disgusted with both of you."

"As if you weren't acting _inappropriate_ while he was gone." Alapedgio countered.

"What?" Fiyero looked at Elphaba.

"She couldn't even take care of herself. Your sweet little wife here was constantly sipping on sleeping potion for two weeks until it ran out and the maid refused to get her any more. Then she threw a fit in the library and wasn't comforted until your mother came by and convinced her to help at the infirmary."

"I missed you," Elphaba said pathetically. "Was that so wrong?"

Fiyero caressed her cheek with his hand and wiped her tear away with his thumb. "I told Perria to make sure you took care of yourself. I worried you'd start acting like that."

"I… I was so afraid for you."

"It's okay. I know." He led her down to the table. "Perria," he called, "we'd like some breakfast."

Perria rushed into the room and ambushed Fiyero with a hug. "Pardon me, Master Fiyero. It's just so good to have you home! I would've said something last night, but I thought you and your wife might need some time to catch up."

"I've missed your cooking awfully bad." Fiyero said with a hint.

"Oh! Of course! Breakfast will be coming right up." The woman bumbled from the room as quickly as she had entered.

Elphaba scooted her chair closer to Fiyero's. "I don't know what more to say. I think I've said plenty of times how much I've missed you."

"You certainly did," he teased.

Her face flushed. "That wasn't what I meant. Fiyero, I took you for granted a while ago, and when you left… I hadn't realized until that moment how much you truly meant to me. All of that time, Yero, it was hell. Pure hell. I never want to go through that again. I never want to be away from you that long for the rest of my life. I feel so selfish, being so happy that you're home and healthy when so many of the other women in the tribe don't have that to cheer them up. But you are everything that exists in my world, Fiyero, and though it was hard for me to accept that, I love you so much, more than you could ever know, and I…" Elphaba wiped her eyes gingerly. "I just wanted to tell you how."

Fiyero looked at Elphaba silently. He was stunned by her sudden declaration. It was unlike her – then again, nothing was ever exactly _like_ her. Face against her neck, he smiled and said, "I know how. I've always known how, even if you couldn't say it."

"Really?" She moved to look at his eyes.

"Yes. I knew I couldn't be the only one feeling so strongly." He pulled Elphaba into his lap. "I just can't understand it, us. We have got to be…"

"The strangest couple in the world?" Elphaba finished, laughing.

"Pretty much."

"I think we might be."

"Well, what's that old phrase, 'opposites attract'?"

"But we're not opposites. Not completely. And that's not why we're so strange, it's because of how ridiculous we act."

"We? You!"

"You!"

They hugged each other and then pulled back, nose to nose.

"Kiss me."

"At the breakfast table?" Fiyero asked playfully.

"It's not like I'm asking you to make love to me. I just want your mouth."

"Oh, now where would you like my mouth?" He began to suck just below her jaw lightly.

"Fiyero!" She shoved him away and then placed her hands on his face and kissed him proudly. "There. You knew what I meant. For Oz's sake, as you just said, we're at the breakfast table! When are you ever going to learn to behave?"

"I behaved very well these past few months."

"I'm sure you did." Elphaba replied. "Tell me about what happened, if you can."

Perria walked in again with their breakfast. "Here we are, a nice hearty meal for the victorious prince and his wife." She winked knowingly at Elphaba and left the room again.

"So?"

"My dad had taught me a lot of things about fighting when I was younger, but I'd never really expected to have to use them. We'd been in a peaceful situation for a long time, and I guess I never thought too much that things would change. The first time someone sent a spear my way, I nearly just stood there."

Elphaba shuddered. "That wouldn't have been good."

"No, not at all. Anyway…"

Number Five and Alapedgio nodded at the two guards who were to replace them for a few hours and headed upstairs. Alapedgio said, "Kind of sucks. We were just getting to the interesting part. I wanted to know what happened with the war."

"I'm still not over what happened in their bedroom," Number Five commented.

"Not this again."

"No, really! Like, every other minute, he had his mouth and tongue in her! She barely ever returned the favor. Who'd do that? She only returned it once. But man, you should've seen the way she touched him. It was like certain parts of him were sent from heaven or something. And when she _did_ actually do the mouth thing, she deep throated him! Well, as much as she could. Man, living with all of you guys I have seen a lot of huge things, but I have never…"

"Shut up!" Alapedgio snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't want to hear about it, okay?"

"Why the fuck aren't you interested? Any other man…"

"I'm not! What don't you understand?"

Number Five paused and examined Alapedgio. "Oh my god, you want her, don't you?"

"Sort of."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"No, really. Explain, now."

"I've sort of… well, had her."

Number Five stumbled on the stairs they were walking up. "You _what_? When was this?"

"A long time ago. She ran off into the city and I ran into her. I managed to get her drunk enough…"

"You pretty much took advantage of her?" Number Five was suddenly horrified.

"Oh, _now_ you think sex is sick, huh?"

"Were they married, even?"

He nodded.

"Sweet Oz, man! What the hell did you think you were doing?"

"I didn't know! I just looked at her and it was like, wow."

"Why her? Why not find some random streetwalker?"

"I don't know, all right? I just don't."

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that?"

"I think I've been starting to figure that out."

"Does he know?"

"Who?"

"Who do you think? The husband, you imbecile! Dopey or whatever."

"I don't know."

"Did she remember?"

"Um, she might not have, but I…"

"I don't want you to tell me this. Never mind. I can't believe… wait, why did she run away?"

"I don't know. She never told me and, as you know, the two of them never mention it." Alapedgio lied.

"I just can't imagine her actually leaving him." Number Five shook his head. "And you forcibly… god, Alapedgio, that's sick. Really sick."

Alapedgio stood in the hallway alone as Number Five headed to his quarters. Quietly, he admitted, "I know."


	47. OUT!

**Chapter Forty-Seven: OUT!**

When Alapedgio and Number Five had another shift, Fiyero cleared his throat the minute the two entered the room and Elphaba squirmed uncomfortably. Fiyero said, "Number Five, could you step out of the room for a moment?"

Number Five exchanged glances with Alapedgio. He knew what this meant.

Elphaba hissed, "Do we have to do this now?"

"We should've a while ago." Fiyero told her.

They were seated in the living room. Alapedgio, gulping, took a seat across from them in a large, commodious chair. The couple shared a loveseat and Elphaba was practically hiding behind Fiyero. "You talk," she said softly.

Looking from Elphaba to Alapedgio, Fiyero said, "That is one of the first times since a life sciences presentation on reproduction that my wife has ever given me the idea that she might not want to do much speaking." He gently massaged Elphaba's shoulders as he stared steadily at Alapedgio. "Obviously, she's very uneasy right now. Can you think of any reason why?"

Alapedgio knew better than to admit to anything. He'd heard of enough situations where someone might think they were caught and confessed when it turned out they were being questioned about something completely different. So he just hung his head. "Not really."

"If I mention that you ran into my wife in the city a little over a year ago, would that help your memory any?" Fiyero's voice was quiet, but stern.

"It might."

"If I were to bring up that you _raped_ her, beat her twice, and would not take no for an answer, would that dislodge any memories you might have?"

Elphaba jolted on the word "rape" and stood up and fled the room.

Both men looked at one another. Calmly, Fiyero called, "Perria, would you assist my wife back into the room, please?"

Alapedgio started. "What are you doing? You just said she was upset about being in the room! How can you force her to come back in here?"

"I don't think you, of all people, have any right to tell me whether or not I'm doing something that will disturb my wife, thank you."

Elphaba was ushered back into the doorway by Perria. "Come on, Mistress Elphaba, Master Fiyero insists."

She stared at them hollowly.

Fiyero held out a hand for her to take. "Elphaba, love, please sit back down and join us."

She took his hand gratefully and sat beside him. Elphaba did not protest when he slipped an arm around her waist and held her against him. However, she did say, "I'm sorry. I'm not myself right now."

Fiyero nodded understandingly and kissed her forehead. "I know. I don't expect you to be. I promised you that you wouldn't have to speak much, didn't I? I just wanted you to be here."

She took a deep breath. "I do have something to say, actually."

Fiyero looked at her, and Alapedgio held his breath.

"Well, it's more of a question, really. Why me? I can understand that some men are sick, and twisted, but why the hell did you have to choose me? I just don't get it." Her voice rose quickly and there was a hint of a sob detectable under her words. "I mean, of all the women in the world, why this terrible, horrifying green creature? Why?"

Fiyero grabbed her and pulled her closer to him. "Elphaba!"

"No, Fiyero. I want to know. Tell me." She demanded, first of the man beside her and then of the one across the room.

Alapedgio looked at his hands.

"Are you going to answer?" Elphaba asked weakly.

Fiyero put a hand over Elphaba's and lowered his head. "Elphaba, please."

Alapedgio said, "He's right. I don't think you want to hear the answer, at least not from me."

Tearing away from Fiyero slightly and scooting over to the far side of the loveseat, she insisted, "I don't care if I do or do not want to hear the answer, I have to."

"You're not going to like it, not coming from me."

"You said that and I said I don't care, damn it, now say something!"

Fiyero saw that she was shaking and reached to hold her again.

She slapped him away roughly. "No way, Fiyero! I'm not going to let you just soothe me into sitting here passively while you handle things! This has more to do with me than it does with you, don't you understand that?"

Fiyero turned away. "Sorry."

Elphaba looked at Alapedgio expectantly. "So."

Fiyero watched both of them silently.

"Elphaba, you won't be able to understand this." He winced at her glare. "But I'll tell you, since you don't seem to care. I know there are plenty of people in this world who have seen your skin and found it ugly, but there are people who don't. I mean, look at your husband."

"Don't you ever compare me with you!" Fiyero snapped.

"I apologize, sir. To me, you looked enthralling, exotic, not unattractive. Something about the set look in your eyes, well, attracted me. When I'd gotten you to have a little to drink and you'd mentioned what you'd run away from, I could see you still loved and missed your husband, and that there was no other way…"

"So you just decided to force me? Normally the reaction when someone doesn't want you is just sadness and _get over it_." Elphaba answered nastily.

"I regret what I did."

"Do you think that's enough? Do you have any idea how sick I felt knowing what you'd done, knowing that my husband was no longer the only man to have me? Do you know how many nightmares I've had? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to just get back into bed with my husband and tell him, for the longest time, that nothing had ever happened?" Tears were streaming down Elphaba's face now, and she was shaking her head madly.

Fiyero couldn't stand it anymore. He forced her as cautiously as he could into his arms, despite her kicking and pounding against him, and tried to calm her. "Please, baby, don't. It's okay. It's okay. I'm here right now. Don't do this."

"I…wanted… you to be… the only one." She mumbled through her tears, tormented.

Looking at the shine of the tears against the soft skin of her tortured face, he felt anger building within him. Clutching her against him, Fiyero said back to Alapedgio, "Get out of here. Go back to the Wizard. Tell him to send another head guard. I don't care what reason you give him so long as it doesn't do her any damage. You understand me? Get the hell out of my home."

"Yes, sir," Alapedgio answered solemnly. He approached the loveseat first and bent down, Fiyero gazing at him like he was ready to strike if needed, "I'm sorry, Elphaba."

"Go the fuck away!" She hissed.

He nodded, turned and left the room. To Number Five, he said, "You're in charge until a new captain comes, all right?"

Number Five said nothing and half-nodded, about to open the door.

"Don't bother them." Alapedgio said. "Just… let them be a little while."

Number Five swallowed hard and let go of the doorknob.

Alapedgio went upstairs to gather his things and leave.

Fiyero sighed heavily as the man left the room and held Elphaba to him. "Don't cry, Fae, nothing of that sort is ever going to happen to you again as long as I'm alive."

She simply hid her face in his shirt.

He just sat back and stroked her hair, waiting for her to ease up, trying to relieve her. "I'm here and I love you. I'll never hurt you, I promise." Fiyero struggled not to clench his fists as he held her, thinking about Alapedgio and the tears Fiyero had and would see on his wife's face.

"Oh, Yero," she whispered, "I really did want only you to…"

"I know. But it doesn't matter, as long as you love only me, nothing else matters." He reassured her.

"It matters, it matters to me."

"Shh." He pressed his forehead against hers. "It's over now. You don't have to think about it anymore. I love you so much. Nothing has changed or will change that. You're always going to be my Fae-Fae."

"Yero my hero." She responded instinctively.

"Mmm hmm." He placed a kiss on her nose. "Right here. Always. Now, I think you and I need to get up. What do you think?"

"Sounds good."

Fiyero smiled at her lovingly. "All right then. Come on." He put her down on the couch and stood up.

She placed her hands on the couch gingerly and brought herself up. "Shall we get moving?"

"Moving where?"

"I don't know. Anywhere."

"I know. Let's head up to the study and you can work on a few things to ensure Animals rights around here while I sit around and pretend to know what I'm doing." Fiyero joked.

"You can help."

"How?"

"Not talking to me, but staying in the room. It makes me feel better when you're around, but I don't need you talking and sidetracking me."

"What if I sit right next to you and play with your hair?"

"You know I hate that," Elphaba said, eyes turning a bit fiercer.

"Yeah, exactly." He teased.

Elphaba sighed. "Yero, really." She looked at him thankfully. "I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" He cocked his head.

She bit back a smile; he looked pathetically adorable like that. "How you manage to make everything seem so much better when I feel like I'm in hell."

He smiled. "And you welcomed me to hell, all those years ago."

"I was wrong, huh?"

"Very."


	48. Everyone Has His or Her Own Way

**Chapter Forty-Eight: Everyone Has His or Her Own Way**

"Fabala!" Shell walked into the sunlit dining room unhappily. "What's going on?"

Elphaba looked up from her toast curiously. She'd gotten up earlier than usual and Fiyero had told her that he was going to get a little more sleep and that he'd be down to join her in fifteen minutes. It'd been forty-five minutes by then, but she figured he'd only slept late. "What do you mean, Shell?"

Shell had been staying at the mansion since the war had ended, and it didn't look like he'd be returning to Munchkinland any time soon. It looked more like he'd be marrying Juni – though he was only seventeen and she sixteen. He spent his days at the castle and his nights back in his guest room upstairs. "Juni's sulking around. She asked me to leave her alone for the day; it's just a hard day to get through for the family, she said. What does she mean?"

She stood up and walked into the living room with Shell following her. Fiyero had insisted upon a calendar on the wall to remember important dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries. Elphaba had teased him that he only needed it because he couldn't remember their anniversary otherwise, but she'd only been kidding. In truth, she barely ever looked at it and hadn't used it much, but Fiyero had been quite attentive to it. Staring at it, she blinked slowly. "Oh."

"What?"

Elphaba pointed at the scrawl on the calendar date for that day.

"Is he the one that…?"

"Yes."

"I get it. So, looks like we're alone for the day. Let's do something."

"We are _not_ alone for the day. Juni is a sixteen-year-old girl; she's bound to mope around. My husband is not." Elphaba reminded her brother haughtily.

"Then where is he?"

"Upstairs being a lazy oaf. I'll deal with him. Then maybe the three of us can do something, all right?"

Shell muttered something to himself and collapsed on a couch in the living room. "If you don't come downstairs within half an hour, I'll entertain myself in the library."

"Don't be so depressing. I'll be down in just a few minutes." Elphaba assured him. She headed up the stairs and crept quietly into the bedroom. "Fiyero?"

He groaned and turned over in the bed.

She chuckled lightly. "Oh, darling, we weren't up later than usual last night, I don't know what your problem is." Striding to his side of the bed and looking at him she asked, "What in Oz do I have to do to get you out of bed?"

He buried his face in his hands so she couldn't look at him. "Nothing. I'm not getting up right now."

Elphaba sat gingerly on the side of the bed and examined him. "Are you sick?"

"No."

Elphaba took a deep breath and pushed him over in the bed. "Do I have to join you?"

"No."

She'd been hoping she wouldn't have to bring it up. "Do you think I don't know what this is about, Yero?"

He opened his eyes then and gazed up at her. "He would've been turning twenty today. He would've been getting married today."

"To some woman he barely even knew," she said drearily. "Look, Fiyero, I know you miss him, of course you do, he was your brother, but…"

"It should've been me."

"Okay, that's it." Elphaba undressed quickly and threw herself back into the bed. "I am not letting you say that." She pulled the covers up and crawled under them and hugged him. "You know I would've gone crazy had something happened to you."

He turned away. "Does that make me any better than him?"

"No. But you're alive and he's not and you have to make the best of that. Fiyero, he wouldn't want you to do this." She ran her fingers through his hair lovingly.

"He wouldn't want me to mourn him?" He turned back to her, eyes lit angrily.

"No! Fiyero, please. You never do this. He wouldn't want you to lay around in bed all day and brood about it." She touched his cheek gently.

"I can't help it, Fae." Fiyero admitted, softer suddenly.

"I know. Come here." She opened her arms and he scrambled into them. Elphaba stroked his chin as he often did hers and let him lay his head against her bosom. "It's okay to be sad, Fiyero. I understand that. I just don't want you like this. It worries me."

"I miss him," he mumbled.

"I know you do," she soothed, "I know."

"Will you stay here with me all day?"

"I don't know if this is healthy," she said apprehensively.

"Please?"

"You knew you had me won over. I won't even fight." She felt Fiyero's legs wrap around hers and she returned the motion slightly. "Do you want to talk?"

"Maybe a little."

"Oh, damn."

"What?"

"Shell… the door's open. And he said if I didn't come down soon he'd go upstairs to the library. The stairs are right there." Elphaba explained unhappily.

"Should I get up?" Fiyero asked.

She bit her lip. "He's seventeen. It's not like we're really doing anything. I don't think it'll make much of a difference."

"You're still related to him."

"Do you want me to stay here with you or not, Fiyero?"

He closed his eyes. "Stay."

"Besides," she said softly, "the damn guards are probably just outside the door watching us anyway," she raised her voice on the word "watching". There was a cough from the doorway. "Number Five, if you think you're getting a show soon, visual or audio, you're not. Now can you please get the hell out of the way of the door?"

"Snow White wants us at further distance," Number Five muttered to the other guard, Number Seven.

"Got it." The two walked a bit down the hallway.

There was a thumping on the stairs that made all four occupants of the second floor jump. "Oh," Number Five waved a hand dismissively, "it's only the kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Shell snapped. "I'm seventeen!"

"Fine. Whatever."

Shell slipped through the doorway and grinned at the couple in bed (though they were covered up to Fiyero's chin and Elphaba's ribs by blankets). "It figures. I told you, sis."

"Shell, leave us alone now." Elphaba mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

"Of course. Only way to cheer him up is to do the nasty." Shell chuckled and headed out the door.

Fiyero lifted his head for a moment and called after him, "You'd better hope you never talk to my sister that way or you're in for it."

"Elphaba!" Shell whined.

"He's right." She called. "You _never_ talk to a woman, especially your _girlfriend_ like that."

"She's not my girlfriend, I told you!" Shell mounted the stairs.

"Oh, so that little kiss you two were sharing in the garden three days ago was nothing? I was seeing things?" She teased.

Shell stomped up the stairs angrily.

Fiyero's eyes widened. "He kissed my sister?"

"Hush," she held his face in her hands. "It was just a little kiss, I promise. You have no right to yell at them for simply kissing, anyway. They'll be getting engaged any day now."

Fiyero nodded passively and curled back up into her. "Do you think he went somewhere better?" He was once again referring to his own brother.

Elphaba didn't answer. Fiyero knew her feelings on religion very well and he'd just put her in an incredibly uncomfortable place.

"Screw what you think," he said after a moment.

Elphaba giggled. "Normally, I wouldn't be so happy with you saying that, but we'll make an exception here."

"I'm acting ridiculous, aren't I?"

"No. Everyone has his or her own way of grieving, even if it takes a year to really happen. We're all different. You know that."

Fiyero seemed relieved. "How do you grieve?"

"Hmmm?" She felt dazed. Wrapping her arms around him, she wondered aloud, "I don't really know, Yero. I've had some bad times, but I've never really had anyone to grieve, not since I was very young." A pause. "Ha!"

"What?"

"I knew there had to be something good about my life. I can name two. For almost two decades, I have had no one to grieve, knock on wood," Elphaba literally reached out and knocked on the bedside table, "and I have you," she added quietly.

"Fae," he murmured, barely audible, "if I haven't said it already once today, I love you. And I… I appreciate you being this understanding."

"I love you, too. I'm not going to just sit here and tell you to wise up. That would be wrong. I'm sure that, if Nessa died, Oz forbid, I'd do something much more destructive, in my way."

"Let's not think about that, okay?" Fiyero scooted up and kissed her on the mouth. "Can we just think about each other, and love and happiness and those sort of things?"

She smiled. "Of course." Their hands intertwined and met, as did their lips, as did their bodies, as did their love.

At lunchtime, Elphaba lay awake still, watching the clock. She was not hungry, but she knew Fiyero hadn't eaten. However, she'd asked Perria not to bother them for meals, that she'd get her husband and herself down to eat when needed. Fiyero seemed to be sleeping soundly next to her.

Her eyes drifted towards the form of her husband and she studied his face. All of her little fears were put to rest by one observation: he was smiling; and he slept with that smile, an altogether look of peace and tranquility came over his features.

It took all she had not to kiss awake that sweet, happy face.


	49. Changing Things

**Chapter Forty-Nine: Changing Things**

Elphaba sat, half asleep at the breakfast table. "Damn you, Fiyero. Really. My little brother did _not_ need to be scared half to death last night. He made me sit in there and talk to him for an hour."

"He and Juni were in that guest room alone, Fae."

"They weren't even doing anything! For Oz's sake, before we were married you and I had…"

"They're not as old as we were."

"True." Elphaba sighed. "Where's the mail?"

"Perria!" Fiyero called.

Perria appeared in the doorway seconds later. "Yes?"

"The mail?"

"I'll get it."

"Thank you." Fiyero turned back to Elphaba. "Besides, your brother is almost eighteen, now. And how can you say they weren't doing anything? They were lying on the bed!"

"They were lying on the bed fully clothed, not on top of one another, cuddling. It was no big deal. You are not her father. You are not _a_ father, thank you, and I will not have you giving those creepy looks to my poor little brother who may as well be the man who will marry your sister! She hasn't been married yet, if you haven't noticed, and that means it's getting pretty late."

"The only reason my mother hasn't married her off is because she knows Juni is attached to Shell. She could've been married by now."

"Not happily! You don't agree with the marriage custom, remember?" Elphaba poked him across the table. "Someone can't admit that he's wrong."

Perria walked in and handed the mail to Fiyero quickly. "Anything else?"

"Could you bring my brother this upstairs?" Elphaba gestured to the uneaten breakfast two seats away from her. "He's too afraid to come down here this morning, I'll bet." She gave Fiyero a look.

Perria simply nodded. "Will do."

"I'm sure he'll love that." Elphaba smiled at the woman.

Fiyero studied an envelope. "Fae, um, something important looking is here for you."

Elphaba shrugged and snatched it from him. "Probably just another one of the Wizard's weekly letters. He's gotten to the point where he can't quite remember if he's written one during the week yet." She tore open the green envelope, dusting herself of the glitter that fell off of it. "Sweet Oz, what is with all of this stupid glamour?" Unfolding the paper carefully, she read, "'The Wizard begs your presence at his Palace in the Emerald City in order to discuss some personal information he has recently discovered. Please do not inform the other representatives of this meeting. It does not involve them.'" Teeth gnawing her lip, she gulped.

"Representatives?"

"He means Glinda and Nessa. He won't call us, like, anything that could make us sound somewhat equal to him in status. But Fiyero, you don't think he found out about those few months in the city all that time ago, do you?"

Fiyero looked half-frozen for a moment. "He couldn't have… no."

"I… maybe you're right. I mean, he'd have just sent the damned Gale Force out here and had me arrested if it was that." She said, more to reassure herself than him.

"That's probably true."

They were, in fact, right in hoping that it did not have to do with the Resistance. Upon entering the Wizard's chambers, the couple (for Fiyero would not let go of his wife, worried that, if it did have to do with the Resistance, she'd be taken from him) was greeted with more of a display than usual. Alongside the contraption that the Wizard used for most of his meetings with anyone who did not regularly attend Palace functions, there was a strange cart with a dragon above it, and a dwarf glaring rudely at them.

"What the hell?" Elphaba muttered.

From behind his beloved mask, the Wizard stepped out and pointed to chairs that were set up nearer to the dragon invention. "Have a seat." Much to Elphaba's surprise, he sat at their level, as well. "This, what did you call it?" He turned to the dwarf.

"Clock of the Time Dragon," the dwarf recited.

"This, uh, clock, has only just brought some past experiences and consequences to my attention that I never quite gave thought to before, and I… I don't know how to tell you this, Miss Elphaba, so I'm going to let it do its show."

Fiyero and Elphaba exchanged looks but sat back in their seats. A doll made to look extraordinarily like the Wizard was moved onto the main part of the cart, where a small, makeshift house was. The Wizard-doll knocked on the door and a female doll opened it and welcomed the Wizard-doll inside. Elphaba gasped. "Melena."

"What?" Fiyero looked at her questioningly.

"My mother."

"You knew her mother?" Fiyero looked at the Wizard.

"There's more to it than that, I'm afraid," the Wizard said gravely.

Fiyero felt Elphaba squeeze his hand tightly as the puppets continued their actions. After a moment, Fiyero coughed loudly. "What is the point of this… this… exhibition?"

The Wizard made a motion and the dwarf turned the "clock" away, also silencing the two puppets who were blatantly having sex in a dollhouse bed on stage. "If we were to have continued watching that, it is implied that nine months later, that woman gave birth to a green child, a daughter. That daughter would be, well, Elphaba, your age."

"No." Elphaba backed away.

"Fae…" Fiyero held her wrist firmly.

"You can't mean?"

"I can only assume that this clock is trying to tell me that, well, I fathered a child that evening and… you are that child." The Wizard faltered for a moment.

"Oh my god," Elphaba said in barely a whisper, leaning against Fiyero for support. "But why am I green?"

He snapped his fingers and the dwarf appeared with another mini-prop. Elphaba had seen the life-sized version of this before. A mysterious green bottle with the ominous word written "elixir". "This was more of a tool I meant to use to, well, it was an aphrodisiac of sorts. I didn't exactly consider the side effects."

Fiyero helped Elphaba sit back down. He ran his hand along the side of her arm to comfort her.

"What does all this mean? Why are you telling me this?"

The Wizard's face turned grim. "Elphaba, I'm an old man. Ozma is gone. There is no one to take the power when I am gone. It is odd, though, as I was planning on delegating it out between my three representatives. But I suppose now I will give it to only one. I've been planning on returning home, to where I came from. Would you rule Oz in my place?"

How could he be this impersonal? She was his daughter and all that really meant to him was that there was someone to take his place. Well, Elphaba reasoned, she didn't want to be personal with that man, that hateful man, anyway. No man who denied rights and oppressed the Animals as he did could ever have a personal, amiable relationship with her. He might as well not have been her father, except for in name. She looked nothing like him; she acted nothing like him. Suddenly, she realized, "I could change things…"

"What do you mean?"

Elphaba shook her head. "Nothing, Your Ozness, I mean, your… I don't know. I just meant I could make a difference, that people might, well, remember me."

"Elphaba," Fiyero tugged at her arm, "what about me? What about Kiamo Ko?"

Turning to him, she knew where she was obligated to stay, knew where she must and would stay. Facing the Wizard again with tears in her eyes, she said, "Your Ozness, I can't. I can't leave my home."

"You could rule from wherever you like. If the power was yours, you could decide where you should live. It's all in your hands."

"All?"

"Yes, my daughter." The Wizard held out a hand for her to shake.

Elphaba didn't move for a moment. She couldn't act friendly with this man, father or not! But if only for a time, if only until he was gone… "Then I shall do as you asked, my father," she strained.

Fiyero stood and watched, stunned. "Elphaba's… I'm married to…"

"You're married to the new ruler of Oz, good prince." The Wizard chuckled. "Don't let that scare you, though. You are still a husband and she is still your wife."

"Right you are," Fiyero said, wrapping his arms around Elphaba's waist and dragging her close. "She's still mine."

"On that note," Elphaba said softly, "I'd like to do something. How do you call in the guards?"

The Wizard explained quickly, "All you have to do is call out 'guards' loudly enough and they'll come running."

"Well, that's simple. Guards!"

Four tall men in Gale Force uniforms rushed into the room.

"I would like you to track down Alapedgio, a former guard at the Palace for me and bring him here."

"He's not a former guard," one of the Gale Forcers said. "He still works here."

"Bring him to me." Elphaba said.

The Gale Forcers looked to the Wizard, who nodded. On a mission, the four men left the room.

"Fiyero, darling?" She whirled around towards her husband.

Eyebrows raised, he asked, "What?"

"I know you've always wanted the chance for real revenge, haven't you?"

A slow grin crept into Fiyero's features. "Yes, love, more than anything."

"Almost anything," she corrected him teasingly. "One condition: I go first."

A few minutes later, Alapedgio, in pajamas (he was obviously off duty), was thrown into the center of the room.

"Could you please restrain him so he cannot move?" Elphaba asked, sounding innocent and polite, such a contrast to what she had asked.

He was handcuffed and held in the center of the room.

Elphaba took a deep breath and stood near to him, nearer to him than she'd ever have dared go. He was gagged, and she thanked Oz for that – one never knew what he could say, and she was too close to what she wanted to let her time in the Resistance ruin her chances now. "Hi, there. How are you doing? Good to hear. I'm doing wonderfully. I've just gotten over this little trauma that happened to me a good few years ago. I'm not completely over it, and I might never be, but in the next few minutes, I should be a good way better, even better than I am now.

"Now, my _friend_, have you missed me? I'm sure you have. I'd hope you haven't been making up for that with fantasies in that sick mind of yours." She reached out and slapped him hard across the face, then did the same on the other side. Tongue bitten in anger and concentration, she aimed a kick right for the groin, and hit her target well. Alapedgio sank to his knees. "You'll never look at a woman again in a few minutes. But you can look at me for a few more, while my husband has his say." She walked to the side of the room and held a hand out across the floor. "Fiyero, I think I've done my part."

Fiyero strode quietly up to the bound man already injured and on his knees. "You took my wife." He kicked him, and again after each statement, "You hurt my wife; you made her cry; you tricked my wife; you…"

Elphaba turned away. The violence had begun to make her ill.

Fiyero saw this. "That is all. But you'll be punished. Take him away."

"We listen to her, sir." A guard argued loyally, pointing at Elphaba.

"And you listen to him, unless I say otherwise," Elphaba clarified. "And please, do take him away. The worst cell you've got in Southstairs."

"Whatever you say, ma'am."

Elphaba collapsed against Fiyero. It was hard to believe, sometimes, when everything came full-circle. "Karma," she muttered tiredly, "pure karma."


	50. Experience

**Fifty: Experience**

They returned home to celebration after celebration, and Elphaba worked insistently so that the majority of her life would not have to change. Of course, she would have to do more work. Oz needed to be ruled, and ruled well. But she had decided upon keeping Glinda and Nessa to share the work, and Fiyero as well. It pleased her that none of them treated her too much differently.

After settling into a new routine, setting things so that her wishes were carried out mostly by others and that she was simply there to check up on things, Fiyero asked her if she would consider having children soon. She laughed and said, "I'm twenty-six, I'm ruling Oz, if there was one other very difficult task to add to that…"

He never knew if she was sarcastic or not. So he just went with whatever she did. Fiyero didn't really have a preference either way at that point; he just wanted to keep their life together as she would want it, and that was how he would like it. Nothing fazed him much by this point.

On Juni's seventeenth birthday, she and Shell announced their engagement. The entirety of Kiamo Ko, including the mansion on the outskirts, went into a frenzy.

Rogelio approached Fiyero one evening a week before the wedding. "You're close to the boy, aren't you?"

"Sort of. Why?"

"Well, we haven't seen much of his family, except for your wife, and someone has got to have a man-to-man talk with him before the wedding night. I'm not so sure I'm up to it."

"You're the one that's married with… how many kids?" Fiyero kidded. "I'm not Juni's dad."

"Exactly. The moment I think about…" Rogelio shuddered. "I can't."

"His father might. He is coming out for the wedding, isn't he?"

"Fiyero, you know the family better than I do and even I know the man's a minister and is in no way going to have anything to say about sex."

"I think it's only fair that if mom gives Juni a talk before the wedding, you give him one."

"It's different. Your mother is a woman, she understands. It's harder when she's my little girl, son. You'll maybe find that out someday." Rogelio said.

"Maybe," Fiyero smiled.

"Would you please just talk to him for me?" Rogelio pleaded.

Fiyero had never been too good at refusing his father. So he discussed it with Elphaba.

"No way! I'd rather give him the damn talk. There is no possible… ugh! You scare him. How can you even think you could talk to him without making him hide in a corner? He doesn't need it. He's eighteen. He's a boy. He knows."

"My father still gave it to me anyway." Fiyero pointed out.

"And you almost laughed. You told me so on our wedding night."

"Still, I think it's necessary."

"No you don't. Your father does."

"Fine. But I want to do as he asked me." Fiyero argued.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You are incredible. Absolutely incredible."

"Huh?"

"Your behavior makes no sense to me, and yet I love you. I'll never get it."

"Fae, would you just calm down and let me talk to him?"

"If you must. But just remember to watch what you say, because if you're not careful, sooner or later he'll realize that you're speaking from experience, and then it'll come to him that the only experience you've had is _me_, his sister. That might gross him out." Elphaba warned.

"That could be fun."

Elphaba groaned. "I'm showering. You have a good time talking to your future brother-in-law… oh, wait… that doesn't work. He's already your brother-in-law because of me, but now he's marrying Juni. Oh, I'm not going to try and figure out what term to give to that. Shower time." She headed into the bathroom. "I'm not waiting up for you."

Fiyero snorted. "I'll wake you up, anyway."

"That's what you think," she called through the closed door.

He found Shell alone in his room. The door was open and so Fiyero knocked on the doorframe. "Can I come in?"

Shell gave Fiyero a fearful look but nodded. "Uh, sure man."

"I'm not here to kill you. Even if I wanted to, Elphaba would never let me get away with it."

"That makes me feel much better."

"It should," Fiyero told him. "On the other hand, when I tell you why I am here, you're going to wish I was here to kill you."

"It's that bad?" Shell scooted over on his bed to a far corner, leaving more than enough room for Fiyero.

Fiyero sat down, giving Shell a good amount of room. "Well, it might be. It all depends on how you look at it."

"Is it about Juni?" Shell looked up, concerned.

"In a way. But not in the way you think. I… oh, I don't know how to do this." Fiyero admitted. "Elphaba didn't send me in here. In fact, she doesn't want me in here. My father asked me to, and so I am here. Okay, Shell, in a relatively short amount of time, you're going to marry my sister."

"I don't see where you're going with this. For a relatively long amount of time, you have been married to mine. Big difference."

"This has nothing to do with your sister, let's make that clear."

"Um, all right."

"Shortly after you marry my sister, I expect, you and Juni will explore the very intimate joys of one another's bodies."

"Oh, god, you were right. I really do wish you'd have just killed me." Shell hid his face in his hands.

"You know you have to have this talk, Shell." Fiyero tried.

"And now I want to die."

"I'm telling you, you don't want to die a virgin. Life only gets better from here." Fiyero assured him. "I'm not going to pretend to be scornful of sex or anything. I'm a man, too, Shell. We have similar thoughts, at least in that respect. But the wedding night and/or the first time is something different than just sex."

"And/or?"

"Some people don't wait."

"Well, I figured. But why are you saying 'and/or'? Do you think I would possibly ever do that?"

"No. I'm speaking from," Fiyero took a breath, "experience. I knew plenty of kids who were in the first year of college, meaning they were your age, and they had already had sex."

"What do you mean 'experience'?"

"I've talked to people. I know. Shell, stop questioning me. I have a point to make. Women are fragile. You have to be gentle with them, even the ones that act like they don't need it. Sex isn't all roses. Women hurt. Some bleed. There's pretty much no way to avoid that unless… well, unless you… there's just no way." Fiyero flushed darkly. "It won't always hurt, maybe only for a moment, maybe just once, maybe a few times, it all depends."

Shell was immediately very shy and curious at the same time. "Fiyero, um, I really care about Juni, you know, and I really wouldn't want to hurt her, but if that's the only way…."

"That's the only way. She'll understand that. And because she loves you, she'll endure that. But you cannot forget for a minute that it's not going to be flowers and butterflies for her."

"Does it feel gross?"

"I really don't know. In my experience, it was a bit different. As I said, some women bleed, some don't. I was lucky." Fiyero shrugged. "But please don't get too morbid about this. It is worth it. It is beyond worth it, bud. I'm telling you this because I know."

Shell grinned for a moment. "That's good to know. What about, like, making sure she wants to do it, too?"

"You'll know. She'll say it, or you'll just look into her eyes and you'll know. It's instinct. What else are you to do on a wedding night, anyway? My experience was a bit different than yours will be. The wedding night was not painful at all, for anyone, except for maybe my mom, who cried so hard she ruined three handkerchiefs and the rim of her nose was bleeding."

"I know, man. I was there."

"You were only fourteen, I recall."

"Wait, you said your experience? Why didn't it hurt her?"

"I'm not going into detail, Shell. You find out everything on your own way from here on out. I just wanted to give you some advice."

Shell studied Fiyero a moment and then paused. "Oh, ew, sick!"

"What?"

"I just remembered, all that experience… my sister… oh, I'm going to be nauseous now!" Shell fell back on his bed.

"Shell…"

"The not bleeding and the wedding night and all of that was about my sister! Okay, I knew you two had to have done it, like, you're married, but… still! You and my sister!"

Fiyero just shook his head, patted Shell on the back and left the room. Elphaba was asleep in their bed. He climbed in beside her and ruffled the blankets until he was sure it had woken her and she was only pretending to be asleep. Then he said out loud, "Oh, well, too bad, she's sleeping. Well, I can touch some. Hey, maybe I can help her have a good dream." Fiyero slowly slid an arm over her shoulder.

She flinched. "Oh, no you will not!"

"Caught you!"

"Damn."

"I wasn't really going to do that! You know me. But I figured you'd freak out."

"How was your talk with Shell?" She rolled over and propped her head up on her palm.

"Well, he didn't need too much explaining. He knew the general stuff, what it is, how babies are made."

"You know that very well, though, don't you?" She commented playfully.

"Well, I don't know, Fae," he joked, "how are babies made? We haven't seemed to make one yet."

Elphaba bit her lip. "Um, about that. We kind of have."

"What?" He looked at her, joy and anticipation in his eyes.

"Yeah. We're going to have a baby."


	51. Epilogue: Where'd it all start, again?

**Epilogue: Where'd it all start, again?**

"Fae, I'm hearing crying again."

"You've been hearing crying for the last twenty years and you haven't gotten used to it?" Elphaba smiled at her husband; it was early morning.

"True. I thought by now we'd have learned how to get that to stop."

"Any day now. She's ten and that's the last."

"Last of what? Five?"

"You stupid man, you remember how many children we've had." She shoved him in the bed, still lithe and agile.

"Five, then." Fiyero grumbled.

"This isn't fair."

"What?" He was getting ready to pull a pillow over his head.

"You kept me up last night. Yet I have to deal with everything that wakes us?"

"Fine. She likes me better, anyway." Fiyero made to get up.

There was a knock on the door. Elphaba threw her head back against the pillows. "What the hell is it now?"

"Elphie?"

"Glinda! This early in the morning, I forget you're visiting." Elphaba sat up. "What?"

"Well, I was going to offer to go see what was wrong with little Saria."

"It's all right. Fiyero can do it, can't you?"

Fiyero collapsed back in the bed. "Not if I don't have to. Besides, Glinda's being nice because she knows what day it is." He teased.

Elphaba furrowed her eyebrows for a minute. "Today is the… oh!"

"Exactly," Glinda nodded from the doorway. "I came out two weeks ago only, and that's just because Fiyero made me delay so I could help take care of the kids, as I know you don't like to just leave it to the nanny."

"And what are we supposed to do all day?"

"The second floor is all yours."

"It always is." Elphaba replied.

"Still, today is _special._ You two have more time to be lazy and more time for romance, if you get my drift."

"Glinda!" Elphaba covered her ears.

Glinda put her hands on her hips and glared at her. "What? You think the things I say are bad; you've said worse!"

"But I'm…"

"You're married. You forget I got married fifteen years ago."

"We were thirty-two. I know. God, you took forever to come around. I thought Boq was just going to give up." Elphaba observed.

Glinda laughed. "I think he probably feels like he should've, now."

"Where is he?"

"Sleeping. He's a man. What do you expect?"

"Hey!" Fiyero sat up.

"You're only up because your daughter's crying." Glinda pointed out.

"So? You two are closer to her!"

"Yeah, but he has no obligation to her. You do." Glinda smiled. "Look, I'm going to go talk to Saria before she exhausts her lungs." She shut the door, winking at Elphaba, "Have a nice day _alone_," she giggled.

Elphaba and Fiyero looked at each other. They did not hesitate to take her advice.

Late that evening, Elphaba was nuzzled in Fiyero's arms, half-asleep. "I loved today. I love everyday… okay, mostly everyday. It was nice to be alone for a little while. I adore the kids, you know that; but I do like having a day off. Everyone needs one or two of those."

Fiyero reached an arm over to the bedside table. He handed her a box. "Happy twenty-fifth anniversary."

"What have I told you about jewelry?" She shook her head, opening the box. "Oh! But you always did know how to change my mind. They're wonderful. Is that why you put the idea of pierced ears into my head, even though I told you it was pointless?"

"'If you haven't had pierced ears by the time you are forty-seven, it's a bit late,'" Fiyero mocked. "You always catch me."

"I have something for you, you know," she said, placing the jade earrings on her bedside table and opening a drawer.

"I thought you said it was impossible to shop for men." Fiyero commented curiously.

"Glinda's very helpful." Elphaba giggled. She took out a box. "Here."

Fiyero quickly pulled off the top. "It's…"

"Pure silver on the outside, the knife and little tools that pop out aren't, for obvious reasons." She shrugged.

Fiyero started flicking things. "Cool!"

"Oh, dear, you're going to hurt yourself. I knew sharp things weren't a good idea."

"I do _not_ need safety advice, thank you!"

"Right." Elphaba snorted.

Fiyero looked confused. "What?"

"You don't need safety advice, and how many kids were we _planning_ to have?"

"One."

"How many kids do we have?"

"Don't you know?" He joked.

"Fiyero!"

"Okay, okay, five. I know. But you could've reminded me."

Elphaba laughed. "You didn't give me much chance."

"Well, still. It's not my fault. Are you complaining?"

"No. I'm just… sometimes I wonder how it all ended up like this instead of the hundreds of other bad ways. It had to be good."

"I know when things changed."

"I do, too. Yero, we both know, it all started at Shiz."


End file.
